Finnish delegation visits Ukraine's State Emergency Service
Officials from Finland's Helsinki Fire and Rescue Department spent four days meeting with Ukraine's State Emergency Service (SES). Their goal was to study how Ukrainian teams handle the consequences of active combat, with an eye toward applying those lessons to Finland's own civil protection systems.
During the visit, the Finnish rescuers toured specialized SES units in Kyiv. They observed search-and-rescue operations in high-rise buildings and industrial sites damaged by strikes. The delegation also learned how sapper and rescue units are deployed directly in combat zones and under enemy fire.
Knowledge exchange and cutting-edge technology
The Finnish experts examined response protocols for:
- chemical threats,
- biological threats,
- radiological threats,
- nuclear threats.
Discussions also covered the use of advanced robotics and remote systems in complex rescue missions.
Another key focus was crisis communication and building clear coordination between different emergency services. The foreign delegation also visited the site of a recent enemy missile strike in Kyiv's Darnytskyi district, where Russian occupation forces used a 'Molniya' drone to attack civilian infrastructure in Kharkiv. Three people were injured in the Kyiv district attack.
This visit marks an important step in strengthening international cooperation in civil protection and sharing expertise among rescuers from different nations.
Source: State Emergency Service of Ukraine
Joint training and information sharing could significantly improve emergency response effectiveness, especially in situations arising from armed conflicts—a pressing concern for both Ukraine and Finland. Such cross-border collaboration can help boost safety and emergency preparedness across the region.