The third year of the war, and there is still a lack of shelters: Olena Shulyak on the authorities’ intentions to remedy the situation

The third year of the war brought numerous problems for Ukrainian society, among which the state of shelters, designed to protect people’s lives, causes particular indignation. Many repositories either do not exist at all or are in a deplorable state. This creates additional stress for citizens, especially in regions that are constantly bombarded. It turns out that even in the capital, which should be an example in this area, only 62.6% of shelters remain open. This situation is unacceptable in the conditions of modern war, which requires quick and effective solutions. Head of the Committee of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on the Organization of State Power, Local Self-Government, Regional Development and Urban Planning Olena Shulyak commented situation and told how the state plans to solve the problem.

Olena Shulyak noted that the situation with shelters remains unsatisfactory even in the third year of the war. A recent study by volunteers at the OZON Center for Civil Liberties found that an average of one-third to one-half of shelters marked on online maps do not exist or are closed, she said.

Shulyak emphasized that only 62.6% of shelters are open in Kyiv, and their general condition was assessed by experts as only 3 points out of 10. In Cherkasy, this figure is 48.5%, in Vinnytsia – 50%, and in Mykolaiv, only a third of shelters. The worst situation is in Chernihiv, where only 15.6% of the 28% of shelters indicated on the map were open. That is why it is planned to conduct an inventory of all shelters in Ukraine soon and enter them into a special register.

Olena Shulyak also drew attention to the fact that even open shelters often do not meet the minimum requirements. Many of them do not have proper ventilation, toilets, places to sit, or a supply of drinking or technical water. Accessibility for people with disabilities or with pets also remains a problem, although the 2024 order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine officially allows shelters with animals.

The People’s Deputy explained that in order to correct the situation at the end of 2024, the Verkhovna Rada adopted draft law No. 11345. The document provides:

• conducting an inventory of all shelters and creating a special register;
• arrangement of modern security centers according to European standards, which will include shelters, fire stations, first aid stations and police stations;
• technical update of warehouses in accordance with new state building regulations.

Shulyak emphasized that the implementation of this law will allow not only to systematize information about shelters, but also to ensure their proper condition.

Another important change was the implementation of the new State Building Regulations (DBN) “Civil Protection Protective Structures” from November 1, 2023. Shulyak noted that these norms provide for the mandatory arrangement of shelters in new buildings, as well as the use of barrier-free and inclusive principles. In particular, shelters should be equipped with ramps, wide entrances, space for people with disabilities and areas for pets.

Shulyak emphasized that modern realities require continuous improvement of the civil protection system. She added that Ukraine is gradually moving to a European approach in solving security issues, in particular through the establishment of multifunctional security centers that combine several services in one place.

So, in the third year of the war, the issue of affordable and safe shelters still remains urgent. As Olena Shulyak notes, the adoption of legislative initiatives and the introduction of new standards is an important step in solving this problem.