Nuclear war: Can you afford to survive? Here's how much private bunkers cost across Europe

During the Cold War, galore European countries were packed with underground atomic bunkers to shield civilians successful lawsuit of attack.

However, aft the autumn of the Berlin Wall, galore were decommissioned, transformed into museums oregon simply abandoned.

Bunker huntsman radical Subterranea Britannica suggests determination were erstwhile much than 280 underground atomic shelters successful the UK.

"I deliberation it is just to accidental that lone a precise tiny fig is present successful use," they told Euronews.

"Of the ones retired of use, fewer if immoderate could beryllium brought backmost to life. Older designs are apt to beryllium ineffective against modern atomic weapons," they added.

Is a backstage bunker much costly than a one-bedroom flat?

Amid rising geopolitical tensions, the deficiency of extended bunker networks has created a niche marketplace for idiosyncratic shelters successful countries similar Italy, Spain, Germany, Sweden and the UK.

But the concern required is not to beryllium taken lightly.

The astir basal versions (usually nether 10m²) scope betwixt €3,000 and €5,000 per m², astir the terms per m² of a modern workplace oregon a one-bedroom level successful a medium-sized European city.

The committedness is extortion against nuclear, biologic and chemic threats.

Key features see a reinforced factual halfway operation (30cm heavy walls), radiation-proof armoured doors and an aerial ventilation system.

TV and...tear gas: What's included successful the premium versions?

At the much costly end, a 140m² bunker offering "real house" comforts similar a surviving country and a 40-inch tv tin bid prices of €1 million, Italy's Il Mio Bunker told Euronews.

In the UK, Burrowed LTD sells "luxury prefabricated bunkers" that outgo up to €181,000 with a maximum magnitude of astir 16 metres. They diagnostic an air-tight door, an electrical heater, a caller h2o tank, a afloat kitchen, retention beds and a star powerfulness generator, among different things.

Meanwhile, Germany's BunkerBauer offers a 9.6m² bunker for €79,000, which, connected apical of video surveillance, question detectors and infrasound alarms, includes a teardrop state launcher.

In Sweden, €170,000 would beryllium capable for a 54m² bunker capable to location astatine slightest six people, with a room and a diesel generator included.

Sweden-based Victor Angelier, laminitis of the Nuclear Bunker Company, said his clients are funny successful backstage shelters due to the fact that they don't consciousness harmless capable with "government security".

"There is not capable abstraction for the fig of civilians", helium noted, adding that the bulk of his customers are from Poland, Sweden and the Netherlands.

Angelier said helium noticed an uptick successful clients aft the opening of Russia's full-scale penetration of Ukraine successful 2022.

Wednesday's incidental involving Russian drones successful Poland sparked renewed interest, helium said.

What's the safest state successful Europe successful lawsuit of atomic attack?

In Europe, lone a fistful of countries person kept their bunker facilities active.

The continent's astir extended atomic bunker strategy is successful Switzerland, the lone state wherever the work to supply atomic shelters for the full colonisation is enshrined successful law.

Around 60 years aft the instrumentality was enacted, Switzerland presently has astir 9,000 nationalist shelters and astir 360,000 backstage bunkers. Their full capableness is astir 9.3 cardinal radical — capable to screen the full colonisation of astir 9 million.

Around 100,000 of the country's tiny shelters, built astir 40 years agone and capable to big up to 7 people, are being renovated owed to outdated ventilation systems. The program is to regenerate them with larger, nationalist shelters. The programme is expected to outgo €235 million.

Swiss nationalist shelters tin presently accommodate betwixt 200 and 5,000 people.

Some of the largest facilities see the Beaulieu structure successful Lausanne and the Sonneberg Tunnel adjacent Lucerne. The second could primitively location 20,000 radical but present it tin lone accommodate astir a tenth of that.

Which different European countries person progressive bunker networks?

Sweden is different state that has invested heavy successful atomic preparedness.

It has astir 64,000 shelters with capable abstraction for astir 7 cardinal people. The largest is the Klara structure successful Stockholm, which tin big up to 8,000 radical successful wartime.

The contented is taken highly earnestly successful the country. The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) has launched a €9-million program to measurement up inspections and guarantee shelters tin beryllium operational wrong 48 hours if needed.

Neighbouring Finland besides has a web of progressive bunkers. According to 2022 data, earlier the state joined NATO, Finland had 50,500 atomic shelters, the immense bulk of which (85%) are privately owned.

According to the Finnish Interior Ministry, that is capable to support 4.8 cardinal civilians.