Russia Invades Ukraine
Inspections Continue As Hundreds Of Ukraine's Bomb Shelters Found Unusable
- By EPA-EFE
After three people, including a child, were killed outside a locked bomb shelter in Kyiv, Ukrainian authorities have carried out urgent inspections to prepare shelters for future missile strikes.
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This was the condition of a bomb shelter in the basement of an apartment block in Kyiv, photographed on June 5.
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A man leads journalists into a Kyiv bomb shelter on June 5.
The issue of access to bomb shelters has taken center stage in in Ukraine after authorities said on June 3 that from "over 4,800" shelters inspected across the country, 252 were locked and a further 893 were "unfit for use."
The issue of access to bomb shelters has taken center stage in in Ukraine after authorities said on June 3 that from "over 4,800" shelters inspected across the country, 252 were locked and a further 893 were "unfit for use."
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A local man at the scene of a missile explosion in Kyiv on June 1.
Urgent inspections were called after three people, including a 9-year-old girl, died outside a locked bomb shelter in northeastern Kyiv amid a missile attack on the Ukrainian capital on June 1.
Urgent inspections were called after three people, including a 9-year-old girl, died outside a locked bomb shelter in northeastern Kyiv amid a missile attack on the Ukrainian capital on June 1.
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A room inside a bomb shelter in Kyiv on June 5
A security guard who was tasked with opening the shelter in the northeast of Kyiv on June 1 was arrested and is being held in detention. The arrest sparked a fierce debate among Ukrainians, and a petition was launched to free the guard.
A security guard who was tasked with opening the shelter in the northeast of Kyiv on June 1 was arrested and is being held in detention. The arrest sparked a fierce debate among Ukrainians, and a petition was launched to free the guard.
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Nastya Chuzavkova, 14, sits on a mattress put on a floor in the corridor of her family apartment.
The frequency of air-raid sirens and -- especially in high-rise apartment blocks -- the distance needed to travel to shelters mean many Ukrainians either do nothing, or simply move away from windows in their residence during air raids.
The frequency of air-raid sirens and -- especially in high-rise apartment blocks -- the distance needed to travel to shelters mean many Ukrainians either do nothing, or simply move away from windows in their residence during air raids.
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People take shelter in an underground crossing during an attack on Kyiv on June 1.
Subway stations and underpasses such as this are in some cases the only underground spaces guaranteed to be open during air-raid alerts.
Subway stations and underpasses such as this are in some cases the only underground spaces guaranteed to be open during air-raid alerts.
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A bomb shelter entrance in Kyiv
One woman in charge of a bomb shelter in Kyiv told RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service that if shelters are left open, homeless people move in, meaning locking the facilities is unavoidable.
One woman in charge of a bomb shelter in Kyiv told RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service that if shelters are left open, homeless people move in, meaning locking the facilities is unavoidable.
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A man gives journalists a tour of a bomb shelter in Kyiv.
On June 5, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko posted a video showing him continuing to inspect shelters in the Ukrainian capital amid a bitter blame game over the neglected public shelters.
On June 5, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko posted a video showing him continuing to inspect shelters in the Ukrainian capital amid a bitter blame game over the neglected public shelters.
