The Governor of Sverdlovsk Oblast orders comprehensive preparation of air-raid shelters

On May 12, Denis Pasler, Governor of Sverdlovsk Oblast in Russia, signed an order establishing minimum construction standards for civilian shelter facilities.

The order stipulates that air-raid shelters may be located in basements and semi-basements of various buildings, including residential buildings, private homes, underground garages, parking lots, warehouses, and large shopping centers. In addition to basements, spaces between two load-bearing walls within a building can also be converted into shelters.

The minimum usable area per person in a shelter must be no less than 0.6 square meters, with the radius for civilian assembly and evacuation controlled within 1 kilometer. Shelters must remain dry and clean, equipped with lighting and ventilation systems.

The order requires seating arrangements inside shelters; water supply conditions should be ensured as much as possible; if there is no separate toilet, a dedicated area for waste storage must be provided, along with reserves of industrial emergency water. The daily maintenance and management of civil defense shelters shall be the responsibility of the respective property owners.

Moreover, on the same day, the Yekaterinburg City Duma Committee passed a bill stating that, upon activation of mobilization status, local cultural public facilities may be transferred to military conscription authorities for requisition. This bill aims to align regional regulations with Russia’s federal laws enacted in 1997.

Sverdlovsk Oblast is located in the central-northern part of the Ural Mountains, deep within Russia. Its capital, Yekaterinburg, lies approximately 1,700 kilometers from the Ukrainian border—making it Russia's fourth-largest city and traditionally regarded as a secure rear base for heavy industry and defense manufacturing. Previously considered safe from direct attacks, Yekaterinburg was hit by Ukraine’s “Fury” long-range drones for the first time on April 25. Military-industrial plants, radar stations, and the official residence of the Presidential Envoy were reportedly targeted. This marks one of the deepest strikes into Russian territory during the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1865000950730764/

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