The work of a rescuer has always been a symbol of self-sacrifice. But for Ukrainian state emergency service personnel, in the time of full-scale war, it has become a daily act of heroism, marked by constant danger and unpredictable challenges.
When the world shudders at the news of missile strikes, Ukrainian rescuers are the first to step into the inferno — where metal burns, every second can cost a life, and sometimes the fate of millions depends on their skill and coordination.
A strike on the nuclear power plant
Yet even they could not have imagined that 1 day they would stand on the brink of a disaster capable of reshaping the course of human history. On the night of February 14, 2025, that nightmare came alive: a Russian attack drone carrying a high-explosive warhead, struck the shelter of the fourth reactor block at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, previously known as Chernobyl. What seemed to be an unthinkable scenario only a few years ago, had become reality.
The impact tore a 6-meter-wide hole straight through the sarcophagus, setting it ablaze and forcing the world to hold its breath: what if the fire had spread further? In a single moment, decades of work by Ukraine and its international partners — all aimed at shielding our planet from deadly radiation leaking from the destroyed reactor — were suddenly at risk.
Rescuers risk their lives to prevent a radiation leak
Chornobyl is not just a symbol of Ukrainian tragedy, but a European one. An attack on it was a threat for the safety of an entire continent. A radiation leak would not only endanger the people of Ukraine — millions of Europeans would also be at risk. Once again, the haunting shadow of nuclear catastrophe loomed over the world, this time provoked by a drone attack.
In such conditions, Ukraine’s rescuers and firefighters from the state emergency service showed extraordinary courage.
More than 570 first-responders, armed with their bravery, professional training, and specialised equipment, battled the consequences of the attack for 21 days to keep a nuclear nightmare from becoming reality. They worked under the constant threat of renewed strikes, deploying over 50 specialised vehicles, carrying out aerial reconnaissance with thermal-imaging drones, monitoring radiation levels, and checking every move with dosimeters.
The rescue operation was made even more difficult by the weather: they had to work in sub-zero temperatures, through snow, and on ice-covered structures. And all of this — at an altitude of over 100 meters.
Rescuers worked 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
The effort never stopped — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Each rescuer could only remain in the danger zone for a limited time to avoid overexposure before being replaced by a colleague. Every step was calculated and coordinated. All of it to deny radiation a chance to escape — and to protect the lives of hundreds of thousands, even millions, in Ukraine and far beyond. Because we all know: radiation knows no borders.
It is in such moments that the support of international partners proves to be vital. The European Union, through its Civil Protection Mechanism, has been providing systematic assistance to Ukraine’s emergency services since the beginning of the war — help without which the fight against such extraordinary threats would be far more difficult. These supplies included:
- radiation meters
- decontamination systems
- protective suits and masks
- medical supplies
- intensive-care equipment
All of this support enables Ukrainian rescuers to keep working in zones where a single wrong move could prove fatal.
After the strike on Chornobyl in February 2025 alone, the EU mobilised more than €1 million worth of assistance from its rescEU reserves, directed specifically at supporting Ukraine’s emergency workers. The help came from Finland, Germany, Poland, and Slovenia. In total, rescEU mobilisations for responding to chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats have already exceeded €70 million since 2022.
This rescEU assistance is not just material aid. It is a gesture of solidarity and trust. It is recognition that the heroic work of Ukrainian rescuers matters not only for Ukraine but for the preparedness and security of all of Europe.
