Spanish citizens are rushing to build nuclear bunkers, as fears over World War 3 continue to grow. Russia‘s invasion of Ukraine has sparked fears of nuclear armageddon across the European continent.

This has been fuelled partly by the continual threats by Putin’s cronies to unleash the Kremlin’s atomic arsenal if the West continues to support Ukraine militarily. The chilling threats appear to have had an impact, as Spaniards scramble to build their own war shelters.

The private construction of bunkers has risen by 200% since Moscow’s war started in early 2022, according to Spanish companies.

Currently, it is estimated that there are around 400 private bunkers in Spain, which is well short of the numbers in France and Germany.

In an attempt to reassure the public, Spain’s government is preparing a National Civil Protection Plan for “military risk”.

However, there are only four public nuclear shelters in the country, mostly located in the capital.

These are located at the residence of the Spanish Prime Minister, the Torrejón base, El Capricho park and the Ébora Hotel in Toledo.

A major obstacle in building a personal bunker is the price, which is prohibitively expensive.

A typical bunker can cost as much as €150,000 (£125,189). Companies like VIP Bunker offer luxury models that exceed €350,000 (£293,129).

An effective bunker must be at least 10 metres deep, with sturdy walls, air and water filtration, and impact-resistant doors.

To make a bunker nuclear-proof, it should also have steel coatings, according to experts.

Concerns over a potential European-wide war are not limited to Spain, as recent evidence shows.

The European Union has urged citizens to prepare 72-hour survival kits and called on governments to improve civilian-military cooperation.

Meanwhile, France, Norway, Finland and Sweden are in the process of distributing war manuals.