A Dutch foundation has unveiled plans to construct what it claims will be Ukraine’s largest underground hospital, strategically located near the front line to offer emergency medical care while safeguarding patients and medical personnel from drone and artillery attacks. This facility, which will span approximately 600 square meters and be situated about 8 meters below ground, is designed with reinforced concrete to endure heavy bombardments. It will house six operating rooms dedicated to urgent trauma procedures, including surgeries for shrapnel wounds and blood transfusions.
Rather than serving as a conventional long-term hospital, this underground center is intended as a stabilization hub for critically injured soldiers. It will enable them to undergo immediate surgeries before being transferred to hospitals located further from the conflict zone. Due to security concerns, the exact location of this facility remains undisclosed. Preparations for its construction are already in progress, with an anticipated opening date set for February 2027.
The initiative was requested by Ukraine’s Military Medical Service and is being executed with the assistance of a Norwegian healthcare foundation. The entire underground complex is projected to cost around €2 million, while an additional €500,000 will be necessary for medical equipment, supplies, and armored evacuation vehicles. This brings the total estimated cost of the project to €2.5 million. As of now, approximately €750,000 has been raised, with efforts underway to secure the remaining €1.75 million needed.
Organizers of the project emphasize the increasing danger of conventional evacuations due to the pervasive use of drones on the battlefield. This heightened threat underscores the importance of establishing secured medical facilities close to combat areas, ensuring that immediate and protected medical care is available for those wounded in the ongoing conflict.