“Today, together with partners […] We have moved to the practical stage of launching the Civil Defense Shelter Coalition, a multilateral initiative that is designed to create a modern and effective network of protective structures in Ukraine,” Klymenko noted.
According to Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko, this is a common initiative between Ukraine and Team Europe to ensure the protection of Ukrainians.
“Its goal is to create a modern network of civil protection shelters, including underground schools and kindergartens, hospitals and public institutions,” the head of the Cabinet of Ministers wrote on Facebook.
Sviridenko said that more than 42 underground schools have already been built in Ukraine only in the front-line regions at the expense of the state budget and preliminary contributions from partners.
“For the first time, the draft state budget for next year provides for 1 billion UAH for shelter in kindergartens,” the prime minister informed.
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The leader of the “Shelter Coalition” is Finland, which has a unique 80-year experience in creating a system of bomb shelters, Sviridenko said.
Lithuania, Belgium, Ireland, and Sweden have already joined the coalition, Klimenko said (he was quoted by the press center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs on Facebook). The total amount of contributions as of November 27 amounted to €22.5 million. According to Sviridenko, Finland contributed €11 million, Sweden contributed €7 million, Lithuania and Belgium contributed €2 million each, and Ireland contributed €0.5 million. Switzerland also intends to join the initiative, Sviridenko added.
