Construction of protective structures is under way in Ukraine at critical infrastructure facilities that may come under Russian attack. Work is currently being carried out at 607 sites.
This was reported by Mykola Kalashnyk, Minister for Recovery, Infrastructure and Transport, during the Kyiv International Economic Forum, Ukrinform writes.
"At present, 607 facilities are in the implementation phase as critical infrastructure sites that are being protected. These include both large substations and smaller elements of heat and water supply facilities, pumping infrastructure, and gas distribution networks," the minister said.
According to him, the level of readiness of the protective measures varies depending on the complexity of the work. Overall, this figure is approaching 70%, and some facilities have already been commissioned.
One of the challenges remains construction close to the combat zone. As a result of Russian attacks, Ukraine is losing equipment, and there have also been casualties among workers.
In view of this, the government plans to introduce mechanisms to compensate for destroyed equipment, as well as life and health insurance for workers involved in building protective structures.
Kalashnyk also noted that as weapons change, previously effective protective measures may lose their effectiveness. In particular, the use of jet-powered drones and ballistic missiles is forcing the search for additional engineering solutions. Air defence also plays an important role.
In addition, the minister said they had explored the possibility of moving certain facilities underground. However, implementing such projects requires significant funding and between a year and a half and two years.