Going underground: Behind the growing demand for luxury doomsday bunkers

Press quote (Euronews)
06 April 2024

The best way to avoid a major geopolitical conflict is not to build a bunker but to demand your local representatives fund the Ukrainian war effort, according to Ian Bond, the deputy director of the Centre for European Reform.

Bond believes that politicians "will eventually take notice" that there’s more public support behind the war and will do something about it if pressured for long enough and by enough people.

"If we don’t do that, then the bunkers will become more useful and they will be closer to the frontlines," Bond said. "Building a bunker doesn’t stop you from the effect of war, what does is not having war".

There is a scenario, Bond continued, that if the Ukrainian defensive line falls, and Russia walks into Kyiv, there could be little to stop Russia from expanding elsewhere.

"Putin regards the weakness of the West [the US and Europe] as a reason to keep advancing," Bond said.

"The ambition of the Russian regime doesn’t stop at Ukraine, so the best way to do things is to defeat it where it is".

Bond pointed to Russia’s threats to Poland and Latvia specifically as possible indicators that Putin’s motive could extend outside Ukraine.