‘A different type of threat’ More Russian regions prepare bomb shelters amid fears of Ukrainian ATACMS strikes

The authorities in Russia’s Lipetsk region have decided to purchase outdoor bomb shelters for the major cities in the area, Governor Igor Artamonov announced on Wednesday.

The shelters will be installed along public transport routes, according to Artamonov. He said the decision to put up the shelters was made based on the experience of the city of Belgorod, which regularly comes under fire from the Ukrainian army. The governor also ordered additional inspections of bomb shelters in apartment buildings and warned management companies of “consequences” if they fail to ensure their shelters meet government standards.

The Lipetsk regional government’s Telegram channel said that these new security policies are being introduced “against the backdrop of statements that the West will permit Ukraine to use long-range missiles to strike deep into Russia.”

The Lipetsk region has regularly come under attack by Ukrainian drones in recent months.

On Tuesday, Rostov Governor Yury Slyusar also announced an increase in security measures. He ordered evacuation drills and inspections of bomb shelters in the region. He also noted that these orders were linked to the threat of ATACMS missile attacks. “Long-range missiles pose a different type of threat. This directly affects Rostov, businesses, and all of our facilities. We need to be extremely cautious given the current situation,” Slyusar said.

On Sunday, The New York Times reported that U.S. President Joe Biden had authorized Kyiv to use American-made ATACMS missiles on Russian territory. According to Russia’s Defense Ministry, Ukraine took advantage of this permission for the first time on Tuesday, targeting a weapons depot in the Bryansk region.