Russians reportedly getting “fake” calls from “strange numbers” and are told highest level of threat will be introduced soon

In russia it is reported people get “fake” calls from “strange numbers” and are told that highest (or “red”) level of threat will be introduced soon, so people should buy food, prepare water. It is reportedly happening already in four Russia regions. Russian state services call it “fake”.

It is already happening in Krasnoyarsk Krai, Kursk, Belgorod and Voronezh regions. Overall there are three levels of terrorist threat, according to russian National Antiterrorist Comittee, with blue being “light”, “yellow” being “high” and “red” being “highest”. The second level have been already operating in 3 of those abovementioned regions, all bordering with Ukraine.

The russian Ministry of Emergencies of Krasnoyarsk, of course, already called if “fake”, assured that this is not true, that there is no danger and that the purpose of such calls is to sow panic among the local population.

We found that same thing was reportedly happening also in Voronezh region: local media report on cases of ppl being called in Viber & told “red” threat level will soon be introduced in region so they need to buy food, collect documents, be ready to evacuate at any moment

Similar in Belgorod and Kursk regions. They say that in Kursk they are also calling to come to the military registration and enlistment office, and saying there is gonna be announcement of mobilization. In Belgorod region they also mention calls were from “non-Russian” numbers. Local Belgorod State emergency service also says it’s fake.

Ukrainian trace has not been found yet, but it is precisely because of “Ukrainian threat” that second or “yellow” (high) level of terrorist threat is already in effect in 4 regions of russia bordering Ukraine: Kursk, Belgorod, Bryansk, two districts of Voronezh of Krasnodar regions. It is also introduced in the Russia’s occupied Crimea. It is also reported Russia increased patrols, the number of police in this regions, and the whole communications with locals on possible terrorist threat.

It of course might be local pranksters. But it also might be a deliberate tactics by Russia itself to prepare the ground to later blame Ukraine for it (hence “strange”, “non-Russian” phone numbers, claims by russian services that callers try to “sow panic” & “destabilize”).

We often say in Ukraine that you can pretty much guess by what russian officials say what Ukraine will be blamed for later. This is a way for Russia to explain to the audience (e.g. russian ppl,) how info should be seen, so when blames it on Ukraine it will look obvious, true.

With all this said, we should be prepared to see more pressure growing in mentioned russian regions bordering UA (but not limited to) with possible attacks on civilians, infrastructure, sabotage activities, that might be blamed later on Ukraine

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