Are you taking any steps because of the Ukraine situation?

[DetailMouse]

The situation for those in the country is heartbreaking, I've sobbed at several news stories this morning and my heart aches for a Ukrainian friend whose family is still there.

On a far more selfish, practical level have you "done" anything to protect yourself and your own situation? If nothing else I can see an impending deepening of the financial crisis. A friend has taken all her money out of the bank, for example, but it's true she's prone to a bit of drama. Gas supply worries me a lot.

Is there anything we should be doing now to help a bit if the situation is prolonged or worsens?

You don’t walk into a bank and withdraw £85k in cash, it doesn’t work like that. Large cash withdrawals need to be arranged and with UK currency it’s really impractical carrying large amounts of money with the £50 note being our largest denomination.

• I also assumed cyber attacks , poisoning people... stuff they are really good at And have done with success before.

Its threads like these that cause panic buying/ panic cash withdrawing / panic petrol buying which in turn create shortages and crisis in this country. Stupidity is contagious, I take steps by avoiding people who are infected with it.

Putin would love the populations of the UK and other NATO countries to be spooked into creating a run on the banks.

His 'administration' is using social media operatives and bots to plant the idea into people's heads. It's what they do.

We are not puppets and Putin is not our puppet-master.

I've bought sunscreen (factor 1 trillion) and sunglasses!

Taking out cash isn’t a bad idea. If they hit us hard via Cyber you won’t be using your cards. I’d say it wouldn’t hurt to have a couple of hundred in ready cash in the event the cripple banking/store payment systems

My DH has stocked the cupboards and freezer up anyway because of inflation, but that was a long time before the latest Russian incursion.

Other than that, we are not doing anything. I remember the wars in the Balkans which is a bit closer to home and life carried on as normal, pretty much.

@ThisMustBeMyDream

Yes, my car will be 3/4 full of fuel at a times at my (pragmatic and sensible) fathers request. He wants me to be able to drive to where he lives in the country, away from the cities we live near. He also advised on making sure we have good food supplies, particularly on grain products.

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Remember, Captain Mannering was a Bank Manager. "Don't panic Mr Mannering!"

@Truegreen

I’ve cancelled my Mediterranean cruise in school holiday.

Why?

These people drawing out cash to do the shopping in case of cyber attack… [ confused] How do you think that supermarkets/supply chains/manufacturers operate? On slips of paper? If there is a cyberattack nothing will work… except possibly looting

@70kid

I still have my Brexit stash of toilet paper and pasta 😂 But I always keep around 1-2k in cash in the house for emergencies

😡

This is just the start. It's going to get a whole lot worse on here.

I agree.

I could cope with a worldwide pandemic, a shortage of petrol and even the awful news of war - what I can’t deal with are the amount of greedy, selfish people who immediately think about themselves and try and stockpile whatever they can. And it’s often not incase they need them it’s so other people can’t get them.

@DottyHarmer

These people drawing out cash to do the shopping in case of cyber attack… [ confused] How do you think that supermarkets/supply chains/manufacturers operate? On slips of paper? If there is a cyberattack nothing will work… except possibly looting

I wouldnt take anything out, especially what I can't afford to lose. If we descend into looting, homes will be targeted too. And then all of your money is gone.

I mean OK a cyber attack isn't good, but at least there are back ups of the data, so your money isn't technically gone, it's just not easily accessible and won't be for a long time.

The chance of a cyber attack from russia is pretty high. My BIL works in Cyber and says the russians are always at it anyway, and if they do launch a cyber attack it will most likely be to target the major UK banks (I think barclays and lloyds?) as that will affect alot more people than targeting the smaller ones. They'll also be targeting the infrastructure, electricity, communications etc.

Wasn't that long ago Russia launched a cyber attack on the Ukraine knocking out their power infrastructure for a significant amount of time, mid winter. About 20,000 people or something like that froze to death. he said it was used in training as an example of when a cyber attack caused actual loss of live, as opposed to just losing people money and business.

Its possible.
I don't think there is any need to be panicking but I do think if you are able to keep a couple hundred in cash in the house, don't let your cars run too low on fuel and keep enough store cupboard basics for a couple of weeks would be a sensible thing to do.

I know if a nuclear bomb gets dropped that won't matter anyway to those in range, but would be very useful to anyone not in the blast range to be able to get the hell out.

So many threads on here showing a startling lack of intellect or critical thought lately

@Foolsrule

So many threads on here showing a startling lack of intellect or critical thought lately

The people determined that nothing should be done or those thinking abiutbwhat we might might able to do to help ourselves?

If nothing else Covid showed us how fragile our supply chains are, whatever the reason for a bit of additional pressure is.

I think most rational people on this thread are assuming a couple of days at most, banking problems and cashpoints and ordering food online (possibly) is the most likely to happen.

So most are suggesting taking out a bit of cash for school bus fares, lunches and shopping JIC. I need to do this anyway as I never have cash and these days DD is often needing it.

I don't think this is a panic thread.

If I had a car or used a car I would probably make sure it has petrol.

That's all most are saying. It's just sensible.

I'll be donating to the Ukrainian Red Cross and to Ukrainian animal welfare organisations.

@Foolsrule

So many threads on here showing a startling lack of intellect or critical thought lately

Absolutely this! So many people totally disconnected from rational though processes.

Taking out cash isn’t a bad idea. If they hit us hard via Cyber you won’t be using your cards. I’d say it wouldn’t hurt to have a couple of hundred in ready cash in the event the cripple banking/store payment systems

What are you buying if you draw a couple hundred out?

If the banks go down you won’t be able to pay for anything. Having cash won’t matter.

I guess those who’ve stockpiled toilet roll could sell it for cash but it would be pointless.

Why do people think just about themselves - who is paying for the shopkeepers wages, or the delivery trucks wages?

If banks go down there will be another way to get shopping, pay wages etc which won’t involve money - more likely the government will give out vouchers or something instead and bills will be paused.

But in reality if the banks do get hit they’ll be back running in a few hours anyway.

In WW2 they had ration books so people didn’t stockpile - maybe we should bring that back in.

I don’t think nuclear bombs will
Be dropped. Those around Putin know that if that happens, that’s the end of Russia. I can’t see they’d want mutually assured destruction of their families.

If nothing else Covid showed us how fragile our supply chains are, whatever the reason for a bit of additional pressure is.

THIS - with bells on! 🔔

A small amount of cash put aside for grocery shopping in the event of a cyber attack and the banking network goes down. Other than that just be kind. Not much else the lay person can do.