Germany is drawing up a list of bunkers that could serve as emergency shelter for civilians, the Interior Ministry has reported, at a time of growing tensions with Russia. The list would include underground train stations and parking lots, as well as state buildings and private properties, according to a ministry spokesperson.
As announced by Olaf Scholz’s Government, a digital directory of bunkers and emergency shelters will be created so that citizens can find them quickly using a mobile application. People will also be encouraged to create protective shelters in their homes by converting basements and garages, the spokesperson told a news conference.
The government spokesman did not give a timetable, saying it was a big project that would take some time, with the involvement of the Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance and other authorities.
The country, with 84 million inhabitants, has 579 bunkers, mostly from the Second World War and the Cold War era, which can shelter 480,000 people, compared to the nearly 2,000 bunkers that once existed. in the past.
The German government spokesman said key points of the plan were agreed at a conference of senior officials in June and that a special group was studying it.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, concerns have grown over the possibility of Moscow attacking other NATO members. In October, German intelligence chiefs warned that Russia would likely be capable of launching an attack against the military alliance in 2030.
German authorities say the country is already experiencing a sharp increase in Russian espionage and sabotage activities. Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that the conflict in Ukraine had characteristics of a “global” war and did not rule out attacks against Western countries after Russia was bombed with American and British missiles.
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