Germany has donated 10 sets of hydraulic equipment to Ukraine’s State Emergency Service. According to the State Emergency Service, the equipment will be used to free people from under the rubble and to cut through metal structures and vehicles following Russian attacks. The German government made the purchase through the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ).
Briefly about the main points
- The State Emergency Service has received 10 sets of hydraulic equipment from Germany.
- The equipment is designed to rescue people and clear rubble.
- The procurement was carried out by the German government through GIZ.
- The State Emergency Service has described the equipment as essential for emergency and rescue operations.
- The GIZ programme, in partnership with the State Emergency Service, will run until July 2027.
What types of work is the equipment designed for?
According to the State Emergency Service, the new kits should help rescue teams reach people trapped under rubble more quickly. They will also be used to cut through metal structures and vehicles.
Deputy Head of the State Emergency Service Volodymyr Demchuk stated that specialised equipment is vital for emergency rescue operations, clearing rubble and rescuing people. No assessment has yet been made public regarding the extent to which the delivery will affect the speed of operations: there is no data on the use of these kits in specific call-outs.
The delivery is said to be linked to an urgent need
The State Emergency Service clarified that Germany had purchased the equipment through GIZ in response to large-scale Russia’s attacks. The statement does not specify which attack formed the basis for the application.
Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of the Federal Republic of Germany Katrin Buchholz, as quoted by Ukrinform, said that six days had passed since the Ukrainian side had reported the urgent need for the equipment to be handed over. There is no specific confirmation of this timeframe in the available publications by GIZ, BMZ or the German diplomatic service.
Context: GIZ’s long-term programme in Ukraine
The GIZ project «Support for State and Municipal Emergency Management in Ukraine» is being implemented on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development in partnership with the State Emergency Service. According to information from GIZ, the project is scheduled to run from 1 August 2023 to 31 July 2027.
The programme covers more than just supplies: it aims to strengthen the national and local response to emergencies. GIZ explains that the programme is needed due to damage to the infrastructure of civil protection, fire and rescue, and emergency services, as well as an increase in the number of call-outs SES in a full-scale war.
Germany has already provided aid to the State Emergency Service through GIZ. In July 2024, this included, in particular, robotic fire-fighting equipment, off-road buses, trailers, protective clothing and rucksacks for firefighters. In a previous phase of the German programme, the service received around 100 sets of rescue equipment, including cutters and spreaders.
What else needs to be clarified
The public announcements did not disclose the make, manufacturer, cost or full contents of the ten kits. Nor was it stated which specific units of the State Emergency Service would receive them, when the equipment would be distributed, or whether it would require additional training, servicing or consumables.
The very fact that these kits have been supplied may enhance the units’ capabilities when dealing with deformed metal structures and vehicles. At the same time, it is too early to assess the practical outcome, as there is as yet no data on the kits being put into service or their use during rescue operations.
