Ukraine is turning Odesa catacombs into bomb shelters as Russian attack on city intensifies

Hidden more than 20 metres deep into the dark and forgotten tunnels, the volunteers have been working to turn sections of the 2,500 km tunnels into liveable bomb shelters. (Image credit: @wineecon)

A group of Ukrainian volunteers from the southern port city of Odesa have begun to turn one of the world's largest labyrinths of catacombs into bomb shelters in case Russian assault on city escalates.

"Underneath Odesa there are 2,500 km of catacombs, created in the 1800s. They used to serve as hideouts in WWII, and now volunteers are turning them into bomb shelters if Russian attacks on the city intensify," Ukrainian official Anton Gerashchenko tweeted.

Underneath #Odesa there are 2,500 km of catacombs, created in the 1800s. They used to serve as hideouts in WWII, and now volunteers are turning them into bomb shelters if Russian attacks on the city intensify.#Ukraine #UkraineRussianWar pic.twitter.com/wgxAgEEtaP

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— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) July 3, 2022

Hidden more than 20 metres deep into the dark and forgotten tunnels, the volunteers have been working to turn sections of the 2,500 km tunnels into liveable bomb shelters.

Among the volunteers was Roman Mauser. The 32-year-old electrical engineer and blogger had explored and made videos of the catacombs, reported ABC News.

As Odesa experiences increased attacks by Russian forces, Mauser has been using his knowledge to give refuge to citizens in the catacombs and "save lives".

The Odesa catacomb runs into 2,500 km. (Image credit: @wineecon/Twitter)

"On the night (of February 24), the first rocket hit Odesa and almost every day (now) we have air-raid alerts," Mauser told the publication.
"I understood it won't stop and we had to prepare everything that can help … we decided that this place, the catacomb, is the best (way) we can prepare," he added.

Read more: Video: Missile launched by Russian soldiers boomerangs, blows up Putin's troops

The volunteers have chosen a particular part of the catacombs with a suitable structure to create the bomb shelters which can house more than 1,000 citizens.

One of the main reasons for selecting that section of the catacombs was that the tunnels are quite deep. "The main advantage of this place is that it is really deep. If rockets will directly hit this place, it will stand," Mauser told ABC. "It has three or four entrances: even if one entrance will collapse, we can exit through another."

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