UK Gives Ukraine Batch Of Nine Firefighter Vehicles And Equipment

The United Kingdom has given Ukraine a batch of nine firefighter vehicles and equipment.

The State Emergency Service (SES) of Ukraine said in a statement on Thursday, 27th October: “On Thursday, 27th October, a ceremony was held in Lviv for the handover of 9 fire-rescue vehicles and fire-rescue equipment for the State Emergency Service from the Government of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the Embassy of Great Britain.

Maksym Kozytskyi, head of the Lviv Regional Military Administration (middle), Oksana Romanukha, partner of the British FIRE AID UK community (middle), Meri Akopyan, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine (middle) and Yuriy Kagitin, head of the Department of Emergency Services of Ukraine in the Lviv region (middle) pose with firefighters in Lviv, Ukraine, Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022. There was a ceremony for the handover of 9 fire-rescue vehicles and fire-rescue equipment to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine from the Government of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. (@LVIVDSNS/Newsflash)

“The event was attended by the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, the Ministry of Internal Affairs Mary Hakopyan, the head of the Lviv Regional Military Administration Maksym Kozytskyi, acting head of the Department of European Integration and International Cooperation Nazar Boryshkevich, deputy director of the Department of Material and Technical Support and Logistics Oleksandr Vaskovskyi, head of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in the Lviv region Yuriy Kagitin and the founder of the road safety NGO ‘Impact’, which is a partner of the British community FIRE AID UK Oksana Romanukha.

Picture shows fire-rescue vehicles, fire-rescue equipment, British and Ukrainian flags in Lviv, Ukraine, Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022. There was a ceremony for the handover of 9 fire-rescue vehicles and fire-rescue equipment to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine from the Government of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. (@LVIVDSNS/Newsflash)

“The Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, Mary Hakopyan, emphasised that rescuers, along with their everyday work to ensure the safety of citizens, are working to eliminate the negative consequences of wartime.”

Hakopyan said: “We understand that today’s work of rescuers must be able to respond to all possible challenges, therefore updating the material and technical base will significantly increase the combat effectiveness of fire and rescue units and contribute to the effective performance of assigned tasks. Thanks to my British colleagues and the British government for their help. Glory to Ukraine, Glory to Britain. Together to victory”.

The head of the Lviv Regional Military Administration, Maksym Kozytskyi, thanked the UK for the assistance, saying: “This equipment is modern and will save lives. Thank you, rescuers, for being you, because without you this technique is just technique, and with you it is a tool for victory. Together with such partners, we will overcome the enemy.”

Romanukha said: “Each convoy we send is an expression of solidarity and friendship between the British and Ukrainian peoples. We plan to continue to help rescuers during this difficult time.

“We admire the courage of Ukrainian firefighters in this situation and hope that assistance in the form of cars and equipment will help them in their work.”

Oksana Romanukha, partner of the British FIRE AID UK community, holds certificate and microphone in Lviv, Ukraine, Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022. There was a ceremony for the handover of 9 fire-rescue vehicles and fire-rescue equipment to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine from the Government of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. (@LVIVDSNS/Newsflash)

Yuriy Kagitin, head of the Department of State Emergency Services of Ukraine in the Lviv region, said: “I am very grateful for the help you provide to the State Emergency Service, every car and equipment, every protective suit – is beneficial not only for the rescuers, but also for the state.

“With your help, you make it possible to respond more quickly to emergency situations. After all, the countdown is not in hours, but in seconds. And with the help of such equipment, we will be able to save the most valuable – life. Thank you very much for your help, you are not just helping, you are saving the lives of Ukrainians.”

Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February in what the Kremlin is still calling a “special military operation”. Today marks the 246th day of the war.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February and 27th October, Russia had lost about 69,220 personnel, 2,631 tanks, 5,364 armoured combat vehicles, 1,690 artillery units, 379 multiple launch rocket systems, 192 air defence systems, 271 warplanes, 249 helicopters, 1,398 drones, 351 cruise missiles, 16 warships, 4,078 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 150 units of special equipment.

Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly overseen multiple military exercises involving strategic nuclear forces and the launch of multiple cruise and ballistic missiles.

Oksana Romanukha, partner of the British FIRE AID UK community (left) gives certificate to Yuriy Kagitin, head of the Department of Emergency Services of Ukraine in the Lviv region (right) in Lviv, Ukraine, Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022. There was a ceremony for the handover of 9 fire-rescue vehicles and fire-rescue equipment to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine from the Government of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. (@LVIVDSNS/Newsflash)

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said that the exercises were to simulate a “massive nuclear strike” by Russia in response to a nuclear attack.

Oleksiy Arestovych, an adviser to the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, said that the Russians had given no sign that they were going to abandon the city of Kherson, with the Russian-installed authorities reportedly telling locals to move to the eastern bank of the Dnieper River.

Vladimir Saldo, a Russia-installed official in Kherson, has said that 70,000 civilians have left the Kherson region in a week.

Oleksiy Reznikov, the Minister of Defence of Ukraine, has said that poor weather and the terrain had slowed down the advance of the Ukrainian military in the Kherson region.

Reznikov also said that he did not believe that Putin would use nuclear weapons.

Ukraine has reportedly exhumed approximately 1,000 bodies, including those of civilians and children, in the recently liberated region of Kharkiv. This figure includes 447 bodies found at a mass burial site in Izium.

Picture shows fire-rescue vehicles, fire-rescue equipment, British and Ukrainian flags in Lviv, Ukraine, Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022. There was a ceremony for the handover of 9 fire-rescue vehicles and fire-rescue equipment to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine from the Government of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. (@LVIVDSNS/Newsflash)

The Russian Ministry of Defence has said that Defence Minister Shoigu has spoken by phone with his Chinese and Indian counterparts and raised Russia’s supposed concerns about the possibility of Ukraine using a “dirty bomb”.

This is after Shoigu spoke by phone with NATO defence ministers. There is currently no evidence to support Russia’s claim.

Martin Griffiths, the United Nations aid chief, has said that he is “relatively optimistic” that the UN-brokered Black Sea grain export deal would be extended beyond mid-November.

There are plans for the European Union to introduce a price cap on gas this winter to tackle price spikes, if members give Brussels the power to propose the measure.