Gib threat level remains at ‘moderate’

The threat level in Gibraltar remains unchanged at ‘moderate’, despite claims in a UK newspaper that UK defence officials had held “emergency talks” about a “Russian threat” to the Rock and Cyprus, where the UK has a military base.

The Telegraph reported on Friday that the discussions took place after Russia’s Vladimir Putin said his military could target the UK in direct response to Ukraine’s reported use of British-made missiles to attack targets inside Russia.

“There have been some pretty signicant meetings about reviewing the threat level at British sovereign bases in Cyprus and Gibraltar,” a source familiar with the discussions reportedly told the Telegraph.

According to the newspaper, the talks are understood to have included discussing whether there was a need to bring in any new defensive measures that are not already in place, in light of the threat from Russia.

The newspaper said the threat level in Gibraltar was currently at ‘substantial’, meaning “an attack is likely”.

In fact, however, it is one step below at ‘moderate’, the second level in a five-step scale, meaning “an attack is possible but not likely”.

The threat level is kept under constant review by the Gibraltar Contingency Council, which brings together military and civilian authorities, and even senior UK Government told the Telegraph that it was “standard practice” to review security measures.

A spokesperson for No.6 Convent Place told the Chronicle: “The threat level reflected in the story in The Telegraph is incorrect.”

“The threat level in Gibraltar, as publicly stated after the last GCC meeting, was - and remains - moderate.”