Belarus ready for martial law amid warnings of disinformation

Deputy Chief of the Belarusian Ministry of Emergency Situations Aleksander Chudoleyev told the BelTA agency that "the Gomel region, bordering Ukraine, is ready to implement martial law if necessary." Earlier, the Ukrainian Centre for Counteracting Disinformation warned that such reports might be part of an information warfare strategy.

Many of the pieces of information provided by Russian and Belarusian state media and officials are likely not true. Such reports may be part of the Russian Federation's information warfare.

The statement from Minsk coincided with a message from the Mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, who conveyed that the Ukrainian capital is "currently funding the construction of protective facilities in the region." - The capital was and remains a target for Putin, but the current readiness is much better than it was two years ago, added Klitschko.

Meanwhile, the Gomel region in Belarus, bordering the Kyiv region, is ready for the introduction of "martial law if necessary." - We have checked the readiness of special units and the level of their personnel. Overall, the system in the region is prepared if needed, said Chudoleyev.

Earlier, the Ukrainian Centre for Counteracting Disinformation warned that Russia might initiate a special operation involving the spread of fake news about the opening of a second front from Belarus.

"In the near future, we expect a series of provocative statements from the highest leadership of the Russian Federation and Belarus, containing threats against Ukraine, as well as a deluge of disinformation in Russian mass media and social networks about alleged preparations for an offensive," the Centre for Counteracting Disinformation said in a statement.