On the occasion of Rescue Day, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky met with employees of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, congratulating them on this significant day and awarding them with honors.

He emphasized that every night and day, following enemy attacks, services are always ready to respond, with firefighters, rescue teams, and other professionals present on site.

“Your professionalism saves thousands of lives and preserves the country’s infrastructure. I especially want to highlight the work of the 'Phoenix' evacuation groups who rescue people under fire, performing their duties in extremely challenging conditions,” stated Volodymyr Zelensky.

The President also expressed gratitude to all those who support rescuers in their work.

He urged everyone to remember those who gave their lives to save others. A moment of silence was held to honor their memory.

“Unfortunately, the cruelty of the Russians manifests in repeated strikes, often when rescuers are already providing assistance. This is done deliberately to reduce the chances of saving people,” said Volodymyr Zelensky.

The President awarded the order of “Gold Star” to the Hero of Ukraine, Colonel Viktor Kuzmenko, whose courage and professionalism helped in eliminating the aftermath of attacks in Poltava region. He participated in 49 operations, saving lives and stopping fires at an oil depot that ignited due to shelling.

Additionally, the Head of State presented 21 rescuers with orders of “For Courage” of II-III degrees and one rescuer with the Order of Princess Olga III degree.