Zelensky sets 1-month deadline for putting bomb shelters in order
President Volodymyr Zelensky on June 26 issued a decree ordering the relevant authorities to put Ukrainian bomb shelters in order by July 25.
According to the document, the Cabinet of Ministers and the regional authorities must identify those responsible for the poor state of some of the shelters and provide information on the measures taken by June 30.
The decree tasked the Cabinet of Ministers with appointing an official responsible for oversight over shelters and their restoration. A bill will also be submitted to the parliament by July 31 to strengthen criminal liability for improper management of bomb shelters.
The responsible authorities must remove unusable shelters from electronic maps by June 30, put all other shelters in order by July 25 and provide constant, unhindered access to them.
The Ukrainian authorities initiated a nationwide audit after two women and a nine-year-old child were killed by missile debris in Kyiv on June 1 when they could not access a nearby bomb shelter.
Rachel AmranThe incident sparked outrage towards authorities for not safeguarding the civilian population properly amid constant Russian attacks.
Out of the nearly 63,000 bomb shelters across Ukraine inspected by the authorities as of June 10, the State Emergency Service said that around one-third were closed or unsuitable for use.
