Mykolaiv Residents Demand Access to Locked Bomb Shelters Amid Alarms

Mykolaiv residents appealed to the local authorities about the bomb shelter in their gymnasium, which was locked during the alarm. The citizens called for access to shelters for all citizens at all times, especially in times of war.

This was reported by the Contact Center at Mykolaiv City Council.

During the alarm, a resident of Mykolaiv faced a dangerous situation. A mother and her child came under fire on their way to school. According to her, they rushed to the bomb shelter. However, the doors of the shelter were closed. As the school employee explained, she did not know that there would be an alarm. Not only this family was there, but also other children who were engaged in various sports.

In response to the citizens' outrage over the closed shelter, it was suggested that the shelter was created for the educational process and that it was used to store equipment and materials for lessons. People began to demand an explanation as to why the shelter was not opened, despite the fact that the school is a place of learning and the bomb shelter should be accessible to everyone at all times. Some residents noted that there were no accessible shelters in the area at all. Others pointed out that the shelter was repaired at the expense of sponsors, not the city, and pointed to irresponsibility in ensuring the safety of children.

Citizens appealed to the city council with a request, and the rapid response service registered a complaint and thanked them for their concern.

Mykolaiv recently decided to set up commissions to check the possibility of arranging shelters in out-of-school facilities in the city. The purpose of these inspections is to determine whether the premises meet the requirements for use as shelters.

According to the mayor's report, as of the end of 2024, 53 shelters in educational institutions had been repaired in the city (22 in kindergartens and 31 in schools), and work is underway to equip another 26 institutions. Last spring, volunteers of the National Shelter Monitoring Campaign of the Center for Civil Liberties checked 30 shelters in Mykolaiv and found problems with their accessibility, in particular due to the lack of proper labeling and ramps for people with limited mobility.

Анна Бальчінос