‘We’re prepared’ Moldova ramps up security after Lukashenko map blunder

Moldova increases security following map ‘mistake’

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The President of Belarus addressed his security council on Wednesday with a map that appeared to show planned troop movements and infrastructure targets. President Lukashenko pointed to Moldova’s breakaway region, Transnistria, being targetted for an attack. The Moldovan ambassador to the US Eugen Caras has since the country is prepared to defend itself.

Speaking to Fox News, Mr Caras said: “The country is prepared [for] any kind of scenarios, including the very worst-case scenario.

“So we will be defending what’s to be defended.”

He added: “From what I understand, the ambassador said that there was a mistake on behalf of the Ministry of Defence of Belarus.

“We are very concerned with this situation. We condemn this.

“One cannot be sure 100 percent of the next phase. Will we be targeted or not?

“As of today, it seems that we are not a target.”

“But what happens in a week’s time? I cannot predict. We are very vigilant. We are very concerned.”

Belarus president shows invasion map at security council meeting

It comes as Belarusian military chiefs are among those to be targeted as part of the UK’s first tranche of sanctions against Minsk for the role it is playing in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said Belarus president Alexander Lukashenko’s administration “actively aids and abets Russia’s illegal invasion” and should be made to feel the “consequences”.

Four senior defence officials and two military enterprises have been sanctioned with immediate effect under the UK’s Russia sanctions regime, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said.

The named individuals will be unable to travel to the UK and any UK-based assets will be frozen.

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The decision affects the Belarus chief of the general staff and first deputy minister of defence, Major General Victor Gulevich, who is responsible for directing the Belarusian armed forces.

The Foreign Office said the Belarusian military has “supported and enabled the Russian invasion of Ukraine”.

Others sanctioned include Major General Andrei Burdyko, the deputy minister of defence for logistics and chief of logistics of the Belarusian armed forces; deputy minister of defence for armament and chief of armament of the Belarusian armed forces, Major General Sergei Simonenko; and deputy minister of defence, Major General Andrey Zhuk.

State enterprises JSC 558 Aircraft Repair Plant and JSC Integral, a military semi-conductor manufacturer, have also been included in the economic strike, the FCDO said.

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