In times of war, shelters and bomb shelters become key elements of civilian protection. These are places that can save lives during missile attacks, artillery fire or other threats. However, in Ukraine, the issue of providing an adequate number of shelters causes numerous complaints among the population. Citizens often face the fact that there are not enough shelters, many of them are in an unsatisfactory condition or are completely closed at a critical moment. Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko told about the situation with shelters in Ukraine, outlining not only the achievements, but also the challenges facing the country in this direction.
The state of the fund of protective structures
According to Klymenko, the fund of defense structures of Ukraine currently includes 62,655 objects. This year alone, the number of shelters has increased by more than 2,300. This shows the significant work done by the state to increase the number of available shelters. However, even this number does not always satisfy the needs of the population, especially in large cities, where shelters are not enough.
Photo: t.me/Klymenko_MVS
The minister emphasized that ensuring access to protective structures is a priority task. To facilitate this process, in cooperation with the Ministry of Digital Transformation, a map of shelters and bomb shelters was integrated into the Action application. This allows citizens to quickly find the nearest shelter in the event of a threat.
Inspection and standards of protective structures
One of the key problems identified in recent years is the unsatisfactory condition of many shelters. Some of them do not meet even basic security standards, while others are completely closed to access. To solve this problem, specialists of the State Emergency Service and police officers conduct quarterly inspections of shelters to check their compliance with regulations.
This year, all previously valid instructions and requirements for the arrangement of protective structures were also revised and updated. The minister emphasized that the State Emergency Service actively participated in the development of new state building regulations that will make shelters more efficient and more adapted to the real needs of the population.
Modernization of the civil protection system
Klymenko also noted that the government approved the Plan of Basic Civil Protection Measures for 2025. One of the key elements of this plan is the modernization of the centralized notification system. Currently, the process of updating it is being completed, which will allow citizens to be informed about threats faster and more accurately. In addition, other information systems are being developed, which will be integrated for more effective public information.
Despite the positive changes, Klymenko admitted that providing an adequate number of quality shelters remains a difficult task. For example, in large cities there are often complaints that shelters are either closed or unsuitable for people to stay. The government is working to solve these problems, but the process requires time, significant financial resources and coordinated actions between different government agencies.
During a recent meeting, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal emphasized the need to build a fund of civil defense protective structures. It was about the modernization of existing shelters, their adaptation to modern safety standards and the construction of new facilities.
Shelter is one of the main means of protecting the civilian population during war. Although Ukraine has made significant progress in increasing the number of protective structures and modernizing the civil protection system, problems with the accessibility and condition of many shelters remain relevant. The state continues to work to address these issues by introducing new standards, updating the alert system and creating more modern shelters. However, in order to achieve a full result, community support and control over the implementation of these initiatives is necessary.
