Germany to invest in everyday shelters, shifting from Cold War bunkers

Debate over civil defense has intensified in Europe since Russia's full-scale ‌invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and Germany has sharply increased military spending since then. The plan is part-funded from a special fund exempt from debt rules that was ‌approved last year, the Interior Ministry said.

Germany's government approved a new Civil Defense ​Plan on Wednesday, shifting from ​Cold War bunkers to everyday ‌sites such ​as underground parking garages, tunnels and subway stations. Debate over civil defense has intensified in Europe since Russia's full-scale ‌invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and Germany has sharply increased military spending since then.

The plan is part-funded from a special fund exempt from debt rules that was ‌approved last year, the Interior Ministry said. Germany currently has 579 shelters ‌for around 480,000 people, many of which have not been in use since the Cold War, according to government data released with the plan.

The government plans to invest €10 billion ($12 billion) to boost ⁠civil ​defence, alongside a ⁠wider military spending drive. The money will be used to buy more than 1,000 special vehicles and ⁠protective suits and to upgrade the mass alert network.

The Interior Ministry also plans to ​install a central control unit to coordinate work across public entities. "This concept ⁠from the 1980s, which has never worked, must be discarded in today’s modern security environment", said Interior ⁠Minister ​Alexander Dobrindt. He said the new plan aims to improve protection in people's homes and provide quicker access to safe places in public spaces.

Defence ⁠Minister Boris Pistorius said the plan was based on lessons from Ukraine, where an ⁠app warns ⁠civilians of attacks and urges them to seek shelter. "We can never expect to have a shelter for all 80 million Germans," ‌Pistorius said.