Germany has begun cataloging a list of potential bunkers to be used as emergency shelters for civilians in the event of a conflict with Russia, the Guardian reported this week.
The preliminary list is said to include underground train stations, car parks, state buildings and private properties. A digital directory fed into a public app will enable civilians to find shelters quickly in the event of an attack.
People would also be encouraged to create protective shelters in their homes by converting basements and garages, the spokesperson told reporters at a press briefing.
The country of 83 million has 579 bunkers, down from a previous high of 2,000, mostly dating from World War II and the Cold War era, which can provide shelter for 480,000 people. According to the spokesperson, the key components of the plan were agreed to during a conference in June and a special unit was looking into making the assessment a reality.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin has made overtures to expanding the conflict to include neighboring NATO members. Tensions have risen dramatically since Ukraine targeted a Russian weapons arsenal last week using a long-range U.S.-made ATACMS missile. Russia responded with a demonstration of its hypersonic Oreshnik weapon, which hit the Ukrainian city of Dnipro.
On Thursday, Russian Security Council Deputy Chair Dmitry Medvedev responded to a question regarding Russia striking military bases in Romania and Poland if long-range weapons continue to be used against Moscow. “If the conflict develops by the escalation scenario, it is impossible to rule out anything, because the NATO member states have effectively got fully involved in this conflict,” Medvedev said according to the Russian new agency Tass.
Andrey Kartapolov, head of the Russian State Duma's defense committee, agreed with his countryman’s sentiment adding that Moscow has "every right to strike military facilities in NATO countries" that assist Ukraine.