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Two-Thirds of Russia’s Civil Defense Shelters Are Unusable, Intelligence Report Claims

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Photo of Vlad Litnarovych
News Writer
Entrance to a Russian basement bomb shelter, St. Petersburg. (Source: Wikimedia)
Entrance to a Russian basement bomb shelter, St. Petersburg. (Source: Wikimedia)

Nearly two-thirds of civil defense shelters across Russia are unfit for use, according to an assessment released by Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service on April 23.

The report estimates that 67% of protective structures do not meet operational standards, while only 16% are considered fully compliant. Another 17% are described as partially usable.

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The findings suggest that, in the event of a crisis, much of the burden for personal safety would fall on civilians themselves.

In the Republic of Tatarstan, the situation appears similarly strained. More than 40% of civil defense shelters in the region are reportedly either unusable or inaccessible to the public. Out of 838 facilities, only 443 meet established requirements, while the rest are said to be locked, flooded, or in poor condition.

The report also highlights deficiencies in the region’s alert system. In some areas, residents reportedly do not receive warning signals at all.

Efforts to modernize the centralized notification system, launched in September 2023, have faced delays and are now expected to be completed no earlier than 2028.

At the same time, regional authorities in Tatarstan have moved to expand social benefits for municipal officials. These include additional vacation payments, compensation for health resort treatment, travel reimbursements, substantial one-time retirement payouts, and housing subsidies—all to be funded from the regional budget.

Earlier, reports emerged that the demand for private bunkers in Russia jumped 140% as wealthy clients sought protection from fears of a wider war.

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