"Fear of Russian Nuclear Attack" Ukrainian Residents Prepare Shelters and Air-Raid Bunkers

"Nuclear Attack Possible" Putin's Repeated Mentions Raise Anxiety
Increasing Number of Ukrainian Residents Preparing for Nuclear Attack

[Image source=Yonhap News]

As fears of a Russian nuclear attack grow, the Washington Post reported on the 14th (local time) that more residents in Ukraine are preparing for such a scenario.

The Washington Post introduced survival measures that residents of Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, are individually preparing due to concerns about a nuclear attack. Military experts view the likelihood of a Russian nuclear strike as low, but recent repeated remarks by Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding nuclear weapons have deepened the fear among residents that Kyiv could become a target.

The Washington Post reported that residents are packing survival bags called "nuclear backpacks" that can sustain them for at least one to two weeks after a nuclear attack. These backpacks are stocked with sufficient water, emergency food, underwear, sleeping bags, emergency medicine, portable lamps, radios, chargers, and more. One resident said that if a nuclear bomb were to fall, they would put on this backpack and run to the nearest subway station to take shelter.

Another resident packed a bag for her son in preparation for emergencies. She included substitute food snacks, her son's favorite books, and toys. Fearing the possibility of being separated from her son during a nuclear attack, she is teaching him that when the siren sounds, he must follow the adults to the shelter. This family also recently rented a house in the countryside away from Kyiv to use as an emergency refuge.

Kyiv still has air-raid shelters built underground during the Soviet era to prepare for nuclear attacks. Additionally, 425 air-raid shelters have been prepared for residents in the outskirts of the city. However, these are not sufficient to accommodate all residents. In response, the Ukrainian government has issued detailed guidelines on how residents should respond in the event of a nuclear attack, but experts point out that the instructions are too complicated and even following them does not significantly increase the chances of survival.

Meanwhile, on the 7th (local time), President Putin stated at the annual Human Rights Council meeting, "The nuclear war crisis is escalating. Russia considers nuclear weapons as a means of defense and a potential counterstrike tool." Since then, he has made successive remarks suggesting that Russia may change its nuclear doctrine to allow for preemptive nuclear strikes.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.