Ukrainian Prime Minister Serhiy Koretsky has instructed relevant ministries, services, regional military administrations, including Kyiv City Military Administration, and local governments to immediately inspect all civil defense shelters to ensure they are properly maintained and allow unimpeded access for citizens.
"Relevant ministries and services, together with regional military administrations, including Kyiv City Military Administration, and local governments in their areas of responsibility, will immediately inspect all civil defense shelters to ensure they are properly maintained and allow unimpeded access for citizens. All of them – without exception. All responsible officials have received the relevant instructions," Koretsky posted on Facebook.
According to the Prime Minister, given the constant threat of ballistic weapons, access to shelters must be granted not only after an air raid alert has been announced, but also when the danger is already known. Therefore, regional military administrations and city administrations must act more quickly, based on the actual need to protect the population.
"Access to shelters must be granted even when it is known that a danger exists, but an alert has not yet been announced. Given the constant threat of ballistic weapons, regional authorities and city administrations must act more quickly and based on the actual need to protect people," he emphasized.
Koretsky also emphasized that access to shelters is unacceptable in the fifth year of a full-scale war, and ensuring timely and unimpeded access to protective structures, especially when there is a threat of ballistic strikes, is the personal responsibility of every official.
"In the fifth year of a full-scale war, access to shelters in Ukrainian cities cannot be a problem at all. This is unacceptable. People must always be able to reach shelters promptly and without hindrance, especially when there is a threat of ballistic missile strikes. And this is the personal responsibility of every official," the prime minister stated.
