Ukraine needs to build more than 8,000 primary mobile shelters, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs
Ukraine may currently need more than 8,000 temporary mobile shelters.
There is a significant need for the rapid manufacture and installation of such protective structures.
“Today, there is a great need for rapid solutions regarding the manufacture and installation of primary mobile shelters. The current demand for them is quite significant. According to regional data, this figure could exceed 8,000,” Sergeyev stated.
Among the possible solutions, the Ministry of Internal Affairs is considering stepping up the work of the international Civil Protection Shelters Coalition.
Sergeyev noted that the Coalition’s strategic objective remains the construction of permanent civil defense facilities that meet established standards and requirements.
At the same time, due to the urgent need to quickly protect the population and prepare for the winter season, the deputy minister believes that the Coalition’s mandate requires adjustment and revision.
Oleksiy Sergeyev reported that, during preparations for the winter season, the need arose to replace the tents that the Ministry of Internal Affairs had set up last winter in the courtyards of high-rise buildings.
It is proposed to replace them with partially underground primary mobile shelters, which can also serve as points of resistance.
According to Sergeyev, eight capital construction projects for shelters are already being implemented as part of the Coalition’s activities, and four more projects are under consideration.
Tarya Fernandez, Finland’s Ambassador to Ukraine, highlighted the need for legislative regulation of construction standards for primary mobile shelters, as well as the availability of a sufficient number of companies capable of rapidly erecting such structures.
She affirmed Finland’s readiness to work on implementing rapid solutions to protect the civilian population within the framework of the Coalition.
“The construction of mobile shelters must begin as soon as possible, while adhering to approved standards,” Fernandez noted.
Karita Laisi, Advisor at the Finnish Embassy and Head of the Reconstruction and Development Department, raised the issue of funding for the construction of shelters.
She emphasized the importance of expanding funding and seeking additional sources of investment.
“The European Union has already provided an additional contribution of 10 million euros to the Civil Defense Structures Fund in Ukraine. There are also other partners who plan to join this project under appropriately defined conditions,” Laisi stated.
Sergeyev, in turn, stressed the need to convene a meeting of the Shelter Coalition’s Governing Council as soon as possible.
“We are grateful to our foreign partners for their cooperation and willingness to provide assistance in strengthening the protection of the population,” the deputy minister said.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs expects that intensified international cooperation will help ensure that Ukraine’s regions are provided with the necessary number of mobile shelters more quickly ahead of the winter season.
Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Oleksiy Sergeyev made this statement during a meeting with representatives of the Finnish Embassy in Ukraine, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ website.
As a reminder, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy instructed the Cabinet of Ministers to develop special programs for businesses that will enable the rapid installation of additional modular and mobile shelters. In addition, city administrations, together with the government, entrepreneurs, and local authorities, are to expand the network of protective structures of various types in populated areas.
Mobile shelters will be set up at railway stations in the Kyiv region to protect passengers in the event of enemy shelling. The relevant decision has already been approved by the regional military administration, and its implementation will be carried out jointly with Ukrzaliznytsia and local communities, as decided by the Defense Council headquarters.
