KHARKIV Fifteen square meters can fit a surprising amount: a bedroom, a fully equipped kitchen, an entrance hall, a bathroom and a utility room. If necessary, even a small wine cabinet.
Such a framework will soon be available to those who want to protect themselves from gunfire and airstrikes in a private underground bunker, and who are willing to pay a hefty sum for it. Bunkers are placed up to ten meters deep.
A family of three can easily survive in a metal bunker for a week, claims the Kharkiv-based company Skhov, which produced the prototype of such a bunker. The name means protection in Ukrainian.
If there is enough food and the water tank is full, you can spend up to a month in the shelter, according to the company.
An underground shelter saves its inhabitants from many types of missiles and grenades, even from a ballistic missile strike. Ballistic missiles are the most destructive missiles that hit the ground at high speed and are very difficult to counter.
Skhov plans to have the first bunkers for sale in the second half of this year.
Bunkers of three guys
Several companies manufacture private bunkers in Ukraine, but it didn’t bother the three guys from Kharkiv.
The bunkers so far are made of concrete, and they are cast on site. Entrepreneurs from Kharkiv, on the other hand, decided to make the frame and walls out of metal.
They got the idea Oleksandr Chirva and It would be Suslin at the beginning of the attack. Both have remained in Kharkiv throughout the war and both are looking for a way to protect their families.
– My family lives in a detached house, but we have an old basement built before the Second World War. It’s not safe to be sheltered there, and I got the idea that the shelter could be dug underground in the yard, Tširva says.
The men march to meet their friend Timur Faizulaev, who is an entrepreneur in the metal industry, and explained their idea. This promised to handle the production of bunkers in his company’s premises.
The model was taken from the popular all-metal bunkers from the United States. Planning started a year ago. The project was named Skhov, which means shelter in Ukrainian. In the fall, we started production, and now the prototype is nearing completion.
According to Faizulajev, designing the metal parts was not difficult.
– But all maintenance systems have required a lot of work and time, because there is little space, Faizulayev says.
In matters of electricity, air conditioning and heating, the trio had to seek help and advice online and from experts. The war has brought many challenges to manufacturing: metal was hard to come by, power outages tormented and professional workers were difficult to find.
In the project, Faizulajev is responsible for manufacturing, sales and marketing of Tširva and Susli. Although not a single piece has been put up for sale yet, there have been plenty of inquiries Instagram account thanks to.
– The most inquiries have come from Kyiv and the Kyiv region, because most wealthy people live there and there are a lot of single-family house areas, says Tširva.
The war has increased demand
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has raised demand for private bunkers in many European countries. For example, demand in Russia is said to have risen many times over, especially after the business launch. Bunker manufacturers have reported an increase in demand from Germany, from France, From Poland and from Italy.
from increased demand in Ukraine tell both bunker manufacturers and real estate professionals. According to them, current and future owners of detached houses and many companies are interested in bunkers.
– There is a need both for private individuals and, for example, for schools and colleges, Faizulayev says.
Skhov has its own solution for companies: modules intended for private use can be welded together and thus make larger population shelters.
The price range for private bunkers in the Harkovalais trio is 60,000–100,000 euros, depending on the level of equipment. In Kharkiv, you can get a quality duplex for this money.
– It may seem like a gigantic sum, but even in Ukraine there are many people who wonder whether to put a hundred tons into a new car or for the safety of their family, Oleksandr Tširva emphasizes.
For now, the trio plans to manufacture and sell bunkers only to Ukraine. The reason is above all logistics: the bunker can fit on a standard-sized truck and there is no need to apply for a special transport permit. The cost of transportation within the country is a maximum of one thousand euros.
However, the entrepreneurs do not rule out the possibility that bunkers will also be delivered abroad in the future.
– We are exploring all possible markets: first Europe and then we will look at others.