Slovakia revamps bunkers with Ukraine war uncomfortably closeBubinak enters one of the Nitra bunkers which are being brought back into service. Prime Minister Robert Fico, who is close to Russian President Vladimir Putin and opposes sending military aid to Ukraine, insists Slovaks have nothing to fear from Russia. But with the war uncomfortably close to home, his government has vowed to double the capacity of the shelters. "The war is in Ukraine, not here," the 51-year-old told Agence France-Presse (AFP), echoing Fico's reassuring pro-Kremlin rhetoric. Designed as airtight retreats able to withstand chemical and biological attacks, many of Nitra shelters have "obsolete ventilation and electrical wiring", civil protection officer Dalibor Bubinak told AFP.

Source: Bangkok Post February 17, 2026 09:51 UTC