In September 2026 the Ukrainian Government adopted three resolutions that change how businesses operate during air raid alerts, and on 8 September a law on mandatory shelters in new buildings came into force. For a dental clinic in Ukraine the key date is now 4 December 2026: until then a clinic without a shelter may work during a “yellow” alert only with the consent of its staff. We explain what has changed, how a shelter for a dental clinic differs from a “safe space” and a room with the lowest risk of injury, and what a clinic owner should do now.
In brief
- 4 December 2026 marks the end of the period when a clinic without a shelter may work during a “yellow” alert only with staff consent.
- “Yellow” level — drone threat; work may continue if there is a shelter or a safe space. “Red” level — missiles or massed drones; everyone goes to the shelter.
- The building norms for shelters have not changed. What changed are the operating rules: Resolutions 1092, 1128, 1158 and Law 4778-IX.
Shelter for a dental clinic: the essentials
| Date | Document | What changed |
|---|---|---|
| 4 December 2026 | Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 1092 | End of the three-month period during which work without a shelter is allowed with the consent of the staff |
| 22 September 2026 | Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 1158 | A separate procedure for healthcare facilities and sole proprietors with a medical practice |
| 18 September 2026 | Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 1128 | The concept of a “safe space” and new alert signals were introduced |
| 8 September 2026 | Law No. 4778-IX | A shelter is mandatory in new healthcare facilities and other public buildings |
| 4 September 2026 | Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 1092 | Two threat levels (“red” and “yellow”) and rules for business operation under each |
What has not changed: the building norms for protective structures themselves. DBN V.2.2-5:2023 was not amended in September; the edition with Amendment No. 2 of 1 April 2025 remains in force.
Resolution 1092: two threat levels and the 4 December deadline
Since 4 September 2026 an air raid alert has two levels:
- “Red”: a missile or combined missile-and-drone threat, or a massed drone threat. People move to a shelter.
- “Yellow”: a drone threat. A business may keep working if the building has a protective structure, a temporary or permanent shelter, a dual-purpose structure or a safe space.
If there is no shelter, work during a “yellow” alert is allowed with the consent of the staff, but for no longer than three months, that is until 4 December 2026.
Two more requirements affect the clinic interior:
- A 100×60 cm sign is placed at the entrance: “The facility has a shelter”, “The facility has a safe space” or “The facility has no shelter”.
- The alert signal must be heard by both staff and patients. Visitors decide for themselves whether to stay.
Will the deadline be postponed? Not at the moment. On 28 October the Union of Ukrainian Entrepreneurs asked the Ministry of Economy to extend the term until 4 May 2027. This is only a proposal, so it is wise to plan for 4 December.
Safe space: what it is and whether it replaces a shelter
Resolution No. 1128 (in force since 18 September) introduced a new concept. A safe space means the most protected zones of a building, defined by the property holder within the existing layout. They must protect against secondary hazards (debris, glass) and withstand the overpressure of a blast wave. The specific pressure value in kPa is to be set by the Ministry of Defence together with the General Staff.
Two more changes from this resolution:
- The “red” alert signal lasts 1 minute, the “yellow” one 30 seconds. The all-clear is announced by voice only.
- If the premises are rented, the safe space is defined jointly by the tenant and the landlord. This will probably require an addendum to the lease.
Is a safe space enough after 4 December? Sources differ here. On 13 October the Ministry of Economy named a safe space as one of the options, while some expert commentators write that after 4 December a shelter proper is required. Healthcare facilities are also covered by the separate Resolution 1158, which does not mention a safe space. For a clinic it is therefore safer to plan access to a shelter and clarify the specific case with a lawyer or the civil protection authorities.
Resolution 1158: separate rules for clinics
Since 22 September a separate procedure applies to healthcare facilities, sole proprietors with a medical practice and blood system entities. It will remain in force during martial law and for 30 days after it ends. A dental clinic or dental office falls under this procedure.
Three terms worth telling apart
| Term | Where it is defined | What it is | Is it a shelter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shelter | DBN V.2.2-5:2023, Resolution 1158 | A protective structure, a radiation shelter, a dual-purpose structure, a basic or primary (mobile) shelter | Yes |
| Safe space | Resolution 1128 | The most protected zones of a building within the existing layout | No, a separate option for the “yellow” level |
| Room with the lowest risk of injury | Resolution 1158 | An internal room separated from external walls and windows by at least two structural walls | No |
How a clinic works during an alert
- “Yellow” level: work continues. If there is no shelter, the clinic works with staff consent until a shelter is arranged, but no longer than the term set by Resolution 1092. During this time people move to the room with the lowest risk of injury.
- “Red” level: no new planned procedures are started. Staff who are completing a procedure already under way finish it. Lifts are not used.
- Outpatient appointments: if there is one staff member in the office and the shelter is outside the building, appointments stop during a “red” alert.
What the manager must do (clause 31)
- Approve an action plan for each threat level.
- Identify the room with the lowest risk of injury and the nearest shelter.
- List the processes that cannot be stopped and appoint the people responsible.
- Plan how people move away from windows and place workstations at a safe distance from them.
The resolution also advises reinforcing critical rooms, backup power, medical gases and expensive equipment first. Among the measures it lists gabions filled with sand or soil, metal roller shutters and impact-resistant window film. In dentistry this usually means the operating room, sterilisation room, X-ray and compressor room.
New construction: Law 4778-IX and building norms
The main part of Law No. 4778-IX has been in force since 8 September 2026. It requires a protective structure or a dual-purpose structure in new buildings: healthcare and educational facilities, service centres, apartment buildings, hotels and public buildings of consequence classes CC2 and CC3 of a certain capacity. The requirement applies to projects whose construction permit was obtained after 8 September.
The law also introduces a “protected space”, which a developer may provide on their own initiative. It is not part of the stock of protective structures.
Building norms. The norms did not change in September. Shelters are designed under DBN V.2.2-5:2023 “Protective Structures of Civil Protection” (in force since 1 November 2023) with Amendment No. 2, in force since 1 April 2025. Amendment No. 2 concerns exits, emergency exits and the fire resistance of generator room walls. If a clinic arranges its own shelter in a basement or semi-basement, the design follows these norms.
Checklist for a clinic owner before 4 December
- ✓Find out where the nearest shelter is and whether it is in the same building.
- ✓Identify the room with the lowest risk of injury in the clinic (two structural walls between it and the windows).
- ✓If the premises are rented, agree a shelter or safe space with the landlord and record it in the lease.
- ✓Move dental chairs, reception and the waiting area further from windows where possible.
- ✓Protect the windows: impact-resistant film, roller shutters.
- ✓Approve an action plan for the “red” and “yellow” levels and appoint the people responsible.
- ✓Check that the alert signal can be heard in every room.
- ✓Put up the 100×60 cm sign at the entrance.
- ✓Consider backup power for the compressor, sterilisation and server.
- ✓If you are only choosing premises, check the shelter before signing the lease. More in our dental clinic premises checklist.
How SPACE DESIGN helps
We design dental clinics and treat safety as part of the layout rather than a separate formality.
- Premises audit (UAH 5,000 in Ukraine). An architect visits the site, reviews the layout, walls and windows, suggests where a room with the lowest risk of injury can be arranged and what to discuss with the landlord.
- Replanning an operating clinic. We move workstations and the waiting area further from windows and select glazing protection so that the interior stays bright and calm for patients.
- Shelter design. If there is a basement or semi-basement, we develop the design under DBN V.2.2-5:2023 and coordinate engineers and builders using the design and build approach.
- New clinic. We plan a shelter or safe zones at the layout stage, together with ventilation, X-ray and sterilisation. An example of our approach is the Solonko Sovyak clinic.
Leave a request on the website or write to info@space-design.pro, and we will suggest where to start for your premises. More about our work with clinics is on the dental clinic design page.
We will check your premises before 4 December
Clinic premises audit in Ukraine — UAH 5,000. A SPACE DESIGN architect will visit the site and show the safe zones.
or call: +380 93 452 28 73
Creating a place where people return.
Sources
- Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 1092 of 04.09.2026 (in Ukrainian)
- Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 1158 of 21.09.2026 (in Ukrainian)
- Interfax-Ukraine: new rules for business operation during alerts (in Ukrainian)
- Government Portal (kmu.gov.ua): Ministry of Economy clarification of 13.10.2026; Resolution No. 1128; Law No. 4778-IX; DBN V.2.2-5:2023 with Amendment No. 2
This article is for information only and reflects the regulations as of 30 October 2026. Requirements may change. It is not legal advice: for your specific case consult a lawyer or the civil protection authorities.
