“We must prepare for any situation”, the inhabitants of Kryvyï Rih take refuge in an anti-atomic shelter in the face of the Russian threat

The concrete staircase sinks again and again. In the shelter, young people met for a karate competition. Life goes on despite the war, but underground.“Here, for example, is the mother-child roomdescribes the deputy mayor of Kryvyï Rih, Serguiï Milioutine. There are toys, there are baby necessities, diapers and other things.”

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This town in southern Ukraine is located not far from the Kherson front, so the population is preparing for the worst, namely a possible Russian nuclear attack. “When the children are here, during anti-aircraft alertscontinues the Deputy Mayor of Kryvyi Rih, they draw and we organize drawing competitions to distract them. They are thinking of other things.”

The shelter was built during the Cold War in 1960. It can hold up to 500 people. “We are ten meters from the surfaceresumes Serguiï Milioutine. There is a three meter thick layer of concrete above to put the objects. Here, these are filters designed to purify the air inside the shelter.”

“In the event of a nuclear danger, we cut off access to the outside air and the filters will renew the air inside. We also stocked up on water. We put in a boiler to wash our hands or take care of babies.”

Sergei Milioutin, deputy mayor of Kryvyi Rih

at franceinfo

Precautions because the authorities take the nuclear threat and the chemical threat very seriously. “With the Russians, you have to be prepared for any situationwarns Serguiï Milioutine. We must also not forget that we are about a hundred kilometers from the Zaporijjia nuclear power plant. That is why, as soon as the Russian aggression began, we began to equip these shelters.” But outside, the inhabitants no longer even hear the howling sirens that tear the sky morning and evening. After eight months of war, they have learned to live with it.