Having No Clients Since Its Founding, This Bunker Maker Was Flooded With 1,000 Orders After Russia Invaded Ukraine

Bunker illustration. (Source: Artemis Protection via The National News)

JAKARTA - Russia's invasion of Ukraine has left homeowners across Europe scrambling to protect their safety and security, with many choosing to order the installation of military-grade bunkers, fearing an attack on their home, or even a nuclear disaster.

A French bunker maker told The National News he has no clients for the product. However, 1,000 customers came in the first weeks of the war in Ukraine.

Most are from French citizens who plan to build private fortified structures, to protect themselves and their loved ones in case of an emergency.

One of the triggers was the start of the war when Russian troops seized the Chernobyl plant that died on the first day of the invasion, triggering memories of the 1986 disaster that sent radioactive material across much of Europe.

Mathieu Seranne, founder and director of Artemis Protection, said after launching his company in January 2021, his business was struggling to bounce back. Thirteen months later, he had been inundated with requests from Europeans who were concerned about the sudden change in the continent's security.

Bunker illustration. (Source: Artemis Protection via The National News)

"We started from scratch. My company was built over a year ago and we didn't sell one (bunker) before the war started. During the first weeks of the war, we received more than 1,000 requests for citations," Seranne told The National News as quoted by The National News. May 13.

"They're not panicking, really, they're really rational people. They're not afraid of bombing the gardens. What they're afraid of is Russia taking over the nuclear plant in Ukraine and that worries them. They're really worried that something is going to explode."

"What we often hear is, they want to make an investment, they want to make an extension of their house, an extension that will be capable of (deterring) bombs, some kind of missile, some kind of chemical leak," he said.

"Even though the war in Ukraine right now is about Ukraine, everyone is worried about the use of nuclear weapons."

While most of his potential clients are French, he also has interests from people in the UK, Ireland, Spain, Germany, Poland and Bulgaria.

Russian bombing of Ukrainian cities has forced many people to live underground for weeks, many of whom have little access to water and food. However, not all households and communities had access to secure underground locations and many died in their own homes.

Furthermore, Seranne said the Russian attack in Ukraine had prompted several construction companies in the former Soviet Union to contact him asking for a partnership.

Companies that until the invasion only built homes and commercial buildings are now trying to break into the bunker market in a bid to offer Ukrainians a place, close to their homes, to hide from missiles.

"They have no experience in (building) bunkers. We have to share our knowledge, but they are a big general construction company and they are very aware of what they are doing there," he said.

"What we're seeing is people want to have something very fast, not a big thing, just to take cover for a short period of time," he said.

Bunker illustration. (Source: Artemis Protection via The National News)

Such was the demand for bunkers among middle-income French households, that he brought them more affordable bunkers.

Artemis introduced the compact bunker model, which measures three meters x 2.5 meters and costs £125,000. Although not as large, the bunker has important features, such as a military-grade ventilation system that lets air in while filtering chemicals, radiation and COVID-19 to emergency exits.

"If there's an explosion outside, what happens is the air pressure is going to be very different, in the same way that if you're on a plane and a window breaks, your lungs are going to explode, so we have a very pressurized shelter. ," he explained.

"We targeted the luxury market before and when we received hundreds and hundreds of requests, we saw that people didn't have that kind of money so we needed to adapt to this kind of market."

Customers can enter the bunker via metal stairs and through the hatch, which is gas and fire resistant. Steel structures take weeks to assemble and transport to clients' homes for burial in a park or nearby location. However, Seranne says the process is much shorter than the time it takes to build a concrete structure.