Ukraine dusts off Cold War bunkers in case of Russian invasion many think won't happen
CBC
Beneath an administrative building in Kyiv, a concrete stairwell leads down to a thick metal door — the entrance to a bomb shelter from the Cold War era. It's just one of the hundreds of shelters city officials are inspecting in case the simmering conflict in Eastern Ukraine boils over into a full-scale Russian invasion.
"Our goal is to have shelters for 100 per cent of our population," said Nikolai Budnik, the manager of the city's shelter system, as he gave CBC a tour on Monday of a bunker built in 1986.
Because of the recent escalation in tensions between Ukraine and Russia, he said, authorities are inspecting the shelters and replenishing the supplies stored inside, such as gas masks.
While Russian officials have denied they are planning an offensive, U.S. and Ukrainian intelligence sources estimate that around 100,000 Russian troops are amassed near Ukraine's border with Russia.
A series of high-level diplomatic talks are underway to try and ease the escalating tensions and avert the risk of war.
U.S. and Russian negotiators met in Geneva Monday, and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg is set to meet with Russian officials Wednesday in Brussels. Canada's prime minister, Justin Trudeau, meanwhile, discussed extending Canada's military training mission and the prospect of more sanctions on Moscow on a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Tuesday.
The particular shelter CBC visited this week is equipped with old bunk beds and water tanks and is meant to accommodate essential workers to keep the city running and utilities operating in the event of an attack.
Russia has issued a series of demands and repeatedly warned about the dangers of crossing its so-called red lines, moves by the West with regard to Ukraine that would trigger a response from Russia. It has warned, for example, that Ukraine should never be permitted to join NATO, although the U.S. has already called that demand a non-starter.
Officials on both sides have expressed doubt that the diplomatic talks will lead to a breakthrough, but that doesn't mean all Ukrainians think a larger war is imminent or even likely.
In the historic neighbourhood of Podil, in Kyiv, crowds wandered through a holiday market Monday. Some sipped mulled wine, and others took a ride on a ferris wheel.
"I wouldn't say we worry a lot," said 23-year-old Oksana Dalko.
"Ukraine now, it's not the Ukraine of six or seven years ago … we have a strong army now."
Ukraine has been developing its military in recent years with the help of allies, including the U.S. and Canada. In 2021 alone, the U.S. provided $400 million in military assistance to Ukraine, and Canadian troops have been helping to train the country's soldiers as part of Operation UNIFIER.
A war between Ukrainian forces and Russia-backed separatists in Eastern Ukraine has been grinding on since 2014, killing an estimated 14,000 people. But, about 750 kilometres away in the country's capital, Dalko says there are few signs of a looming threat.