While frontline cities are massively installing modular shelters, there are still none in the capital. As of June 2025, there are over 200 such structures in Kherson, about a hundred in Dnipro, and over 70 in Kharkiv. In Kyiv, there is only one pilot shelter, installed back in 2023.
Despite numerous rocket attacks, the Kyiv City State Administration refuses to scale up the project, explaining this by the lack of legislative grounds for putting such facilities into operation.
The head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, Timur Tkachenko, publicly accused the city hall of ignoring the safety of Kyiv residents. He emphasized that while other cities are finding solutions, the capital is spending millions on glass bus stops instead of installing protective structures.
Journalists have studied the regulatory framework. According to their conclusions, mobile shelters are not construction sites, and temporary structures can be installed by decision of local authorities - similar to MAFs. This is the path taken by Kherson, Dnipro, Mykolaiv, Odesa and other cities.
In Kherson, for example, modular shelters have already saved people's lives during shelling. Local authorities are installing them even in settlements with the largest population concentrations. In Dnipro, shelters are produced at a local factory, and in Mykolaiv, they are even equipped with the Internet and emergency call buttons.
In Kyiv, the key stumbling block was the unwillingness of the Kyiv City State Administration to take responsibility. The officials' argument was the lack of standards. At the same time, the Podilsko-Voskresensky bridge was opened without being put into operation, which indicates double standards in approaches.
The capital's budget for 2025 exceeds UAH 90 billion, but less than 10% is allocated for the city's defense. Despite this, funds for modular shelters in Kyiv are still not found.
Experts emphasize that modular shelters do not replace full-fledged shelters, but they can save lives from debris and blast waves. And examples from other cities prove that their installation is a matter of political will, not legislative obstacles.
