A Dutch foundation is spearheading an initiative to construct what could become Ukraine’s largest underground medical facility, strategically placed near the front line. This project aims to offer emergency medical care while ensuring the safety of patients and healthcare workers from the threat of drone and artillery strikes. The underground hospital is set to span roughly 600 square meters and will be built approximately 8 meters below the surface. Its reinforced concrete structure is designed to endure heavy bombardments.
Unlike traditional hospitals, this facility is intended to operate as an underground stabilization center. It will feature six operating rooms specifically for urgent trauma surgeries, such as shrapnel removal and blood transfusions, enabling critically injured soldiers to receive prompt care. Subsequently, patients will be transported to hospitals located further from the front lines. For security purposes, the exact site of the hospital remains undisclosed. Preparatory work for the construction has already commenced, with an anticipated opening in February 2027.
The initiative was prompted by a request from Ukraine’s Military Medical Service and is being executed with assistance from a Norwegian healthcare foundation. The underground complex is projected to cost €2 million, while an additional €500,000 is needed for medical equipment, supplies, and armored evacuation vehicles. This brings the total expected expenditure to €2.5 million. So far, the foundation has managed to raise approximately €750,000 and continues to seek the remaining €1.75 million necessary to complete the project.
Organizers highlight the growing challenge of conventional medical evacuations amid the battlefield’s widespread drone usage. This has underscored the necessity of secure medical facilities situated close to combat zones. The introduction of this underground hospital is a strategic response to these evolving threats, aiming to enhance the safety and efficiency of medical care in conflict areas.