At the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC) 2025 in Rome, the State Agency for Restoration of Ukraine, together with Metinvest Group, presented the Citadel project, which will install modular steel underground shelters in Ukrainian schools to protect children during air raid alerts. During the conference, all URC visitors had the opportunity to view a composition of two “hideout” modules, fitted out as school shelters.
The 2025 event is the fourth international URC conference dedicated to Ukraine’s rapid recovery and long-term reconstruction. It brought together representatives from governments, international organisations, financial institutions, large businesses, municipalities and civil society. Key topics include mobilising business for reconstruction, developing human capital, restoring communities and regions and pursuing European integration.
The Citadel project was developed and presented in partnership by Metinvest and the agency, with the support of the Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories.
Oleksandr Myronenko, chief operating officer of Metinvest, said: “We already have significant experience in producing and using steel underground shelters: “hideouts” for defence belts and drone operators, Ukraine’s first-ever underground hospital and brigade command centres that have proven their effectiveness in combat conditions. Now we are ready to scale these solutions for schools. This is the path to preserving our future, our children. We are investing in safety and reconstruction because it is our responsibility as Metinvest Group. This is the fundamental position of our shareholder, Rinat Akhmetov, and it forms the foundation of our business.”
The Citadel shelter is designed with consideration for the educational environment. The structures are cylindrical with a diameter of 2.4 metres and installed in the ground at a depth of up to 5 metres in schoolyards or adjacent to buildings. The module for schools within the Citadel project is designed for 48 people, and several can be combined into complex configurations.
Serhii Sukhomlyn, the head of the Agency for Restoration, noted: “Safe shelters in Ukrainian schools are a necessity. All children must receive reliable protection. The Citadel is exactly that solution: fast, effective and compliant with modern safety standards. It can be used throughout the country.”
The modularity and versatility of the design allow it to be adapted to different settings and facilities: schools, hospitals, industrial enterprises, residential areas and frontline
territories. The sealed steel sections easily connect into blocks, and installation takes only a few days. Shelters can serve as both temporary and long-term solutions. Inside, there are places to sit and, if needed, to sleep, as well as a bathroom, lighting and ventilation. The shelter is self-sufficient: it can withstand shelling and does not require connection to external power or water supplies.
