Hospitals will operate differently during attacks: the Cabinet approved rules for two threat levels

The Cabinet of Ministers approved new rules for the operation of medical institutions depending on the level of air threat. At the yellow level hospitals will continue to operate, while at the red level patients and medical staff must go to shelters.

This was reported on 21 September 2026 by the Prime Minister of Ukraine Serhii Koretskyi. The corresponding statement was also published by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.

At the yellow level medical institutions continue to operate in normal mode. At the same time, staff, patients and visitors must be provided with full access to shelters.

At the red level patients and medical personnel must move to shelters. At the same time, medical care the interruption of which may pose a danger to a person’s life or health will continue to be provided. This includes, in particular, surgeries, resuscitation measures and intensive care.

Patients who cannot be quickly moved to shelters will continue to be treated in the safest rooms of the medical facility.

“In shelters and such rooms it is possible to provide medical care, dispense medicines and place patients,” Koretskyi said.

A separate procedure has been defined for emergency medical care. It will operate continuously regardless of the level of air threat. Patients with urgent conditions must be accepted at both the yellow and red levels. Dispatch services will continue to receive calls, and ambulance crews will continue to respond to patients.

The government also instructed to strengthen the protection of operating rooms, intensive care units, maternity and emergency departments, as well as rooms with backup power sources and critically important medical equipment. Special attention should be given to places where patients who cannot be quickly moved are located.

Earlier, the government introduced two levels of air threat. The yellow level will be applied by default in the event of a threat of drone attacks, and the red level — in case of an increased threat of a missile or combined strike.

Earlier we wrote:

• “No psyche can endure this”: Mykolaiv residents complain about constant sirens
• Yellow or red: Mykolaiv region changed the format of air alerts
• Shops will not close for every “Shahed”: Cabinet changes air alert rules
• Air alerts in Ukraine will change: “yellow” for drones, “red” for missiles and ballistics
• A shelter for patients and townspeople began operating around the clock at a Mykolaiv polyclinic