Germany is developing a new national bunker protection strategy that aims to catalog and repurpose existing infrastructure for emergency shelter use, local media reported on Monday.
The plan involves mapping all publicly accessible buildings and private structures that could offer protection during potential missile attacks, including government offices, subway stations, and office buildings, according to Bild daily.
The plan includes detailed guidelines for converting existing cellars and garages into emergency shelters, while encouraging homeowners to establish protective spaces within their private residences.
The Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK) is also considering developing a smartphone app that will help citizens quickly locate their nearest available shelters during emergencies.
The report comes as Russian President Vladimir Putin has recently escalated his rhetoric against the West, after the Joe Biden administration allowed Ukraine to use long-range U.S. missiles that could strike deep into Russian territory.
Several high-ranking German military officers have warned in recent months that Russia’s armed forces could be sufficiently equipped, in terms of both material and personnel, to potentially launch an attack on NATO territory within the next five years.
Germany currently maintains only 579 public shelters capable of protecting around 480,000 people, highlighting a significant gap in civil defense infrastructure for a nation of 84 million inhabitants.