Germany calls for rapid expansion of shelter network amid Russian threat
Germany is developing plans to rapidly expand its network of bunkers and shelters amid the threat of an attack from Russia over the next four years.
Source: the Guardian, as reported by European Pravda
Details: Ralph Tiesler, the head of the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK), said that Germany needs to wake up and realise the reality of the conflict and that in its current state the country is not sufficiently prepared.
"For a long time, there was a widespread belief in Germany that war was not a scenario for which we needed to prepare. That has changed. We are concerned about the risk of a major war of aggression in Europe," he said.
Tiesler called for a national effort to identify and convert tunnels, subway stations, underground garages, car parks and basements of public buildings into shelters to "quickly create space for 1 million people".
His department will present a comprehensive plan later this summer, he said.
He added that the country is in a race against time and relying on the construction of new shelters is not enough.
Tiesler noted that the design and construction of such shelters will take a long time and will be very expensive, so it is urgent to consider the issue of existing structures.
Of the roughly 2,000 bunkers and protective facilities in Germany left over from the Cold War, only 580 are in working order, and most need a multimillion-euro renovation.
They could protect about 480,000 people – only 0.5% of the population of Germany.
For comparison, according to BBK, Finland has 50,000 protective rooms that can accommodate 4.8 million people, or 85% of the population of the country.
Efforts must also be made to improve information systems such as apps and road signs so that the population can find out exactly where it can find shelter, as well as upgrade warning sirens, Tiesler said.
He called on the government of Friedrich Merz to provide funding for the implementation of the BBK's proposals. The government agreed that these proposals need to be put into practice, but has not yet allocated funds.
Background:
In May, the media reported that the United Kingdom was secretly preparing for a direct military attack from Russia amid fears that it was not ready for war.
Additionally, Sweden declared that 100 million kroner (about US$10 million) would be used for the restoration and inspection of civil protection shelters.
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