In the Slovak city of Nitra, local authorities are preparing for a possible escalation of the security situation and are gradually modernizing Cold War-era nuclear shelters. This is reported by UNN with reference to an AFP article.
Details
Despite the war in neighboring Ukraine seeming distant to many residents, the country's government has announced its intention to double the capacity of protective structures.
Slovakia, which has not yet been attacked by Russian drones, unlike Poland or Moldova, is closely monitoring events in Ukraine.
Prime Minister Robert Fico has repeatedly stated that Slovaks have nothing to fear from Russia and opposes providing military aid to Ukraine. At the same time, his government has promised to strengthen the civil defense system.
Since 2022, when Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, the Nitra authorities have been repairing and partially renovating 17 shelters every year. In 2026, 40,000 euros are allocated for these needs. However, the city council admits that these funds do not cover the real costs required to bring the facilities into proper technical condition.
According to civil defense representatives, most shelters have outdated ventilation, electrical networks, and water supply problems. In fact, none of them currently meet modern requirements for protecting the population from chemical or biological threats.
In total, Slovakia has about 1,500 shelters, designed for approximately 250,000 people. A quarter of them are located in the capital Bratislava. After the fall of the communist regime in 1989, some of the structures were transferred to municipalities or private owners. Some facilities were converted into commercial or cultural spaces, while others remained neglected.
Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok previously initiated an audit of protective structures and recognized their unsatisfactory condition. The government announced its intention to increase the capacity of shelters by 100% as part of a new security strategy. It is planned that by 2040, at least 30% of the country's population will have access to protective structures. The involvement of funding from the European Union is not excluded.
At the same time, due to budget constraints and political disputes in the ruling coalition, defense spending may fall below the 2% of GDP recommended by NATO.
Against the background of limited state funding, the demand for private shelters is growing. According to market representatives, since 2022, the demand for such structures has been increasing by approximately 75% annually. Private shelters are not subject to mandatory registration.
Despite the authorities' efforts, most of the surveyed residents of Nitra admitted that they do not know where the nearest shelter is located and do not consider the situation threatening enough to look for a place to evacuate.
Recall
Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation of the National Security and Defense Council, stated that the actions of the Russians on the front indicate their readiness to fight until autumn. President Zelensky noted that the end of the war by summer depends on the United States.