Limited funding and the lack of a functioning mechanism for assessing the compliance of mobile shelters are hindering their widespread installation; orders from local communities account for no more than 5% of the total number of requests, Kovalska Industrial and Construction Group told Interfax-Ukraine.
"The main demand for mobile shelters today comes from businesses seeking to ensure the safety of their employees. This primarily includes gas stations, manufacturing plants, office buildings, as well as residential complexes, various educational institutions, and so on. Requests from local communities account for only 5% of the total number of requests," the group's press service reads.
According to the group's data, more than a third of all inquiries regarding mobile shelters come from Kyiv region.
As Kovalska explained, one of the factors contributing to the limited demand for mobile shelters from communities is the lack of a practical mechanism for assessing their compliance. Thus, primary mobile shelters are subject to the Technical Regulations for Civil Protection Equipment in accordance with Government Resolution No. 535 of May 26, 2023, which requires conducting a conformity assessment, the issuance of a declaration, and the affixing of a mark of conformity to the technical regulations.
"However, as of now, the current NAAU registry of testing laboratories dated July 9, 2026, does not include any laboratory whose scope of accreditation covers testing in accordance with DSTU 9329:2025 [national standardization] Primary (Mobile) Shelters. Basic Parameters and Test Methods. Accordingly, the full regulatory chain is missing," the group said.
The lack of a regulated mechanism creates risks for communities when purchasing and adding mobile shelters to their inventory, even if they fully comply with safety requirements, the statement notes.
In addition, communities suffer from insufficient funding for mobile shelters.
"Last year's Kyiv budget allocated UAH 500 million for the procurement of mobile shelters. However, because DSTU 9329:2025 [national standardization] was approved in the second half of 2025, these funds were not actually used. This year, the capital's budget does not include any funds for the purchase of mobile shelters," the press service said.
According to the construction group, as of December 2025, in accordance with the new DSTU 9329:2025 standards, only one shelter had been installed in Kyiv's Desniansky District, which was donated to the community by Kovalska.
Kovalska Industrial and Construction Group has been operating in Ukraine's construction market since 1956. It unites more than 20 enterprises in the fields of raw material extraction, product manufacturing, and construction.
