Byzantine News, Developments, and Updates

[JEDCJT]

***Highly-classified***

Following the outbreak of the war in Europe, the UK government had been preparations for the terrifying possibility of war. This was so that if the war did spill over into the UK, the country would be ready.

First, classified documents, codenamed Operative Balkans Emergency Preparation was transmitted to both Sofia and Pristina through a secure connection, one that couldn't be intercepted by outside forces. The Crown Ministers of each Crown Dependency would receive orders from Constantinople to "undertake protective preparations." By this, they would place their respective regional forces on strengthened alert while the UK government placed UK troops in both countries on high alert. Approximately 50,000 soldiers were to go to both countries, 30,000 to Bulgaria and 20,000 to Kosovo; to avoid alarming anyone, the troops were ordered to take positions around the major cities and towns in both countries. Petrovsk-Port received similiar orders for Dagestan. Just in the case this 'deployments' was detected by outside forces, the UK government would explain that it was a "protective measure designed to protect and safeguard UK neutrality, and in the interests of preventing the war from spilling any further."

Secondly, the UK government initiated a series of protective security measures designed to minimize the potential effects of cyberwarfare and the like against the nation's structures, just in case it got involved into the war. All information, electronics, and security generators and grids all over the country were set to configure to 'back-up systems' at a moment's notice. EMP was a lesser concern, though, as much of the UK (especially Byzantium, Georgia, and much of Greece) were safeguarded against EMP attacks.

Thirdly, series of orders were secretly transmitted, through secure communication lines, to military generals and commanders of all branches of the Armed Forces. They would detail UK military preparations and plans for all type of scenarios. This means, in case of war, UK generals and commanders were to conduct the war on their own initiative in case all communications with Constantinople were cut off or hindered for any reason. In addition, military bases and installations all over the country were placed on the highest state of alert ever implemented (including but not limited to camoflauge and deception); the enemy would have a difficult time finding and destroying these bases. This includes airfields, power stations, communication systems, and vital industries, and the like.

Next, missile silos all over the country were readied and configured (the conventional missiles would be ready to launch in an instant). If connections to the central communication grids in Constantinople were cut off for any reason, they would be configured to a back-up grid. This way, the system would still function. The SDI was readied, although not put in position yet; the satellites were placed on 'readied alert', although they continued orbiting the planet as usual.

Lastly, thousands, if not millions, of civilians were earmarked for civil protection duty; they were notified by the Secretary of State for Defense to take up arms just in case war came to the UK homeland. Most households in the UK had at least a weapon; the UK would be a death-trap for hostile forces that tried to cross it. Conscription hasn't been started yet, though.

The UK would be ready for war, if it ever came to UK soil.

Edited April 9, 2009 by JEDCJT

[JEDCJT]

Yekaterinograd, Transcaucasia, UK - The rumors have come true: in the weeks following the successful conclusion of Operation Constantine, the Transcaucasian assembly went into debates regarding the status of the Country capital. Today, they finally reached a decision: they would relocate the capital from Stavropol to Yekaterinograd, as the city was originally the region's capital before it was ceded off to the former Principality of Novorossiysk and then the Socialist Republic of Zurran -- although Stavropol would remain the 'cultural' capital. Parliament ratified this move.

As such, the government under Dmitry Kuzmin began packing up to relocate to Yekaterinograd. The relocation is expected to be complete by this weekend.

Edited April 8, 2009 by JEDCJT

[JEDCJT]

***Highly-classified***

For unknown reasons, the UK government has initiated a programme to increase the country's armed forces from 600,000 to over 1.2 million, a effectively doubling the Army's size. This was to be put into place immediately. In addition, the National Guard -- one of the few institutions leftover from the former Nationalist regime -- were activated and put into alert as millions prepared for civil protection duty. The UK was now on DEFCON 2.

Moreover, Parliament also initiated an Act to implement a curfew, beginning at 5pm (except for vital industries) in case war spilled over into the UK. Local and provincial authorities cooperated with Polisfederal and successive police forces to implement emergency measures designed to protect the civilian population during war, including but not limited to evacuation and the like. Thousands of UK citizens all over the country volunteered to enlist into 'sightseeing' duty, meaning they would scan the sky for any 'hostile' aircrafts (using every devices that they had, including but not limited to binoculars and more advanced devices) and immediately report it to the proper authorities, in case of war. Underground subway systems and the like were prepared to be 'reconfigured' for their designated purposes should it be needed.

The UK government, as well as each respective Country governments and the Crown Dependency governments, also began drawing up contracts (and entering into agreements) with various factories and industries as a means of converting them from peacetime to wartime production should war break out.

In Greece, tens of thousands of Greek citizens, well-endowed by their knowledge of the rough terrain of the Country, began training for all type of duties that they would be expected to undertake when war broke out. This includes guerrilla warfare, where they would harass the enemy at every chance they got, in case of war. In addition, various aircraft guns and other defensive mechanisms were subtly put into place and covered up so the enemy would not detect them.

In various airfields in various parts of the UK, pilots were preparing for what they would do once war broke out. In case of outbreak of war, the fighters and interceptors would react immediately to the airborne threat, and the command structure would enable them to be ready and up into the air to meet with the threat, even if the enemy struck first and without warning. The Navy began patrolling UK waters with increasing number of ships, including the Aegean Sea and the Black Sea. The Bosporus and Dardanelles straits were set to be fortified at a moment's notice. Ports all over the UK -- from Constantinople to Patras, from Athens to Salonika, from Ordu to Poti, and from Smyrna to Alexandretta -- were placed on the highest state of alert as the proper 'defensive measures' were being instituted. This included the ports in both Bulgaria and Dagestan -- and especially the exclave city of Martenshaven (which was heavily-fortified and would surely withstand any enemy attack or a long siege).

Up in space, the satellites were finally placed on high alert as they continued to orbit the planet; the same went for the SDI. If these 'defensive measures' aroused suspicion, the UK would come up with the excuse of "further defensive and protective actions".

Everything was now prepared.

Edited April 10, 2009 by JEDCJT

[JEDCJT]

***Highly-classified***

With the recent end of the war, with the surrender, occupation, dismemberment, and subjugation of the Slavorussian Empire by the Nordlandic Confederacy, the UK government has initiated series of measures to place the nation back to DEFCON 5.

First, the government repudiated the programme to extend the Army: the Army, approaching 900,000, was immediately reduced back to 600,000 as conscription was ended. Series of highly-classified orders were wired from Constantinople to Sofia, Pristina, and Petrovsk-Port, instructing the Crown Dependencies to "cease preparations." At the same time, the UK government has begun working with Bulgaria, Kosovo, and Dagestan to further "fortify" the regions just in case.

Secondly, the Navy and Air Force were placed on 'normal readiness'. Navy vessels, which had been patrolling UK waters, steamed back to their respective bases, and the aircrafts (fighters, interceptors, and bombers) were recalled back into their bases. In addition, bases and installations all over the country were also placed on 'normal readiness'. Up in space, satellites and the SDI reverted to normal. However, the nation's 'anti-cyberwarfare measures' still remained in effect, just to be safe.

Next, the millions of civilians that were earmarked for civil protection duty were informed by the Secretary of State for Defense that the war were over, and that the danger had now passed by. However, they still could be called up for duty at a moment's notice. All over the country, thousands of anti-aircraft guns and the like were subtly removed and stored in undisclosed locations.

The UK was now on peacetime status.