Ukrainian Red Cross

🚨 The search and rescue operation in Kyiv’s Solomianskyi district lasted for more than 39 hours   From the very first minutes, Ukrainian Red Cross emergency response teams worked alongside first responders at the strike sites: providing first aid and psychological first aid, assisting with the evacuation of people from damaged buildings, and helping to recover bodies from the rubble.   The Ukrainian Red Cross also established an aid station where victims, their relatives, emergency workers, and utility staff could receive the support they needed — charging their phones, drinking water or coffee, talking to psychosocial support volunteers, or receiving first aid. ⛑️   In total, volunteers provided first aid to 13 injured individuals, psychological support to 12 victims and their relatives, and distributed meals, water, and hot drinks to those affected and to emergency workers. The response involved 40 volunteers from Ukrainian Red Cross emergency response teams based in Kyiv, as well as from the Kyiv, Poltava, Zhytomyr, and Cherkasy regions.   Moreover, thanks to the support of our partners who donated pet food and carriers, over 30 residents of the damaged buildings were able to take their pets with them and ensure they were fed. 🐈🐕   We are deeply grateful to everyone who contributed to the response.   Photo credits: Ukrainian Red Cross volunteers, Edward Matthews, State Emergency Service of Ukraine.   #redcrossukraine #Ukraine #ThanksVolunteers #EmergencyResponse #ERT #Kyiv #NotATarget #SupportUkraine

⏱️ Emergency workers from the Kharkiv region have completed a 48-hour first aid training course by the Ukrainian Red Cross   The most recent stage of the specialised First on the Spot training sessions, conducted by the Ukrainian Red Cross for units of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SES), has been successfully completed in the Kharkiv region. For 48 hours, SES specialists mastered critical first aid skills under challenging conditions.   The training covered realistic scenarios, including stopping severe bleeding, performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), rescuing casualties at accident scenes, transporting victims, and even assisting with childbirth. Participants were also taught medical triage, rapid assessment of the injured, and action protocols for critical situations.   💬 “We train first responders because those first minutes can mean the difference between life and death,” said Nadiia Yamnenko, master first aid trainer at the Ukrainian Red Cross.   Similar training sessions have been conducted for emergency workers across the Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, Kirovohrad, Mykolaiv, Zhytomyr, Ternopil, Khmelnytskyi, Volyn, Kherson, Ivano-Frankivsk, Zakarpattia, Rivne, Odesa, and Kharkiv regions. As of May, 218 emergency workers have completed the course.   Each participant received a certificate, along with the confidence and readiness to act swiftly, smoothly, and effectively in the most dangerous situations. In times of war, first aid skills are not just a matter of professionalism — they are a matter of saving lives every day.   #redcrossukraine #Ukraine #ThanksVolunteers #FirstAid #FirstAidTraining #EmergencyResponse #LifeSavingSkills #SES #CPR #Kharkiv

🩼 More than 130 rehabilitation aids distributed by the Ukrainian Red Cross in the Chernihiv region in one month   In May, the mobile rehabilitation unit (MRU) of the Chernihiv regional branch of the Ukrainian Red Cross operated in the communities of Kyinka and Ripky, making over 50 visits. As a result, 10 people received rehabilitation services from MRU specialists, who provided individual therapy sessions in their homes.   During this period, the team also distributed 134 rehabilitation aids. Ten were handed directly to beneficiaries, while the remaining 124 were left at local facilities to ensure continued support after the team’s departure.   Additionally, over 170 people took part in training and information sessions, where a physical and mental rehabilitation trainer spoke about evidence-based rehabilitation, inclusion and barrier-free accessibility, and how to provide meaningful assistance.   🫱🏻🫲🏻 We continue to bring rehabilitation services closer to communities in the Chernihiv region, thanks to the support of our trusted partner, the British Red Cross.   #redcrossukraine #Ukraine #ThanksVolunteers #Rehabilitation #Chernihiv #Inclusion #Accessibility #CommunitySupport #MentalHealth #PhysicalTherapy #BarrierFree #CommunityBasedRehabilitation #CBR #EvidenceBasedRehabilitation #MobileRehabilitationUnits #MRU #PhysicalRehabilitation #MentalRehabilitation

⚖️ The Role of the Ukrainian Red Cross in Disseminating Knowledge of International Humanitarian Law   The Ukrainian Red Cross is the national Red Cross Society of Ukraine and forms an integral part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. Its activities are governed by Ukrainian legislation and its own Statute, and guided by the Fundamental Principles of the International Movement. One of its statutory activities is to disseminate knowledge of international humanitarian law (IHL) and to support state authorities in implementing its provisions.   National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies are mandated to promote awareness of IHL and to assist their governments in this area. Specifically, Article 3, paragraph 2 of the Statutes of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement states:   📜 "National Societies disseminate and assist their governments in disseminating international humanitarian law; they take initiatives in this respect. They disseminate the principles and ideals of the Movement and assist those governments which also disseminate them. They also cooperate with their governments to ensure respect for international humanitarian law and to protect the distinctive emblems."   Thus, the Ukrainian Red Cross is one of the key providers of IHL dissemination, a state obligation explicitly set out in the Geneva Conventions on the Protection of Victims of War, dated 12 August 1949.   👉 The Ukrainian Red Cross works closely with authorised state bodies in the field of IHL and is, in particular, a permanent member of the Interagency Commission on the Application and Implementation of International Humanitarian Law in Ukraine. Its comprehensive activities include public education on IHL, training for civil servants, and providing expert advice on international humanitarian law.   Raising public awareness of IHL and assisting the state with its implementation are currently among the Ukrainian Red Cross’s priority areas of work. This is especially relevant given the ongoing full-scale war in Ukraine, as international humanitarian law is specifically designed to protect victims of war and to limit the methods and means of warfare.   #redcrossukraine #Ukraine #ThanksVolunteers #IHL #InternationalHumanitarianLaw #GenevaConventions #WarProtection #HumanRights #RedCross #HumanitarianLaw #ProtectCivilians

🚧 27,000 Mine Warning Signs Delivered to Mykolaiv Region   The Ukrainian Red Cross, in partnership with the Danish Red Cross, has delivered 27,000 mine warning signs to the Mykolaiv region. These signs will soon be installed in areas at high risk of landmines, where every step can be fatal.   As part of the initiative, a multilateral meeting was held at the Special Purpose Emergency and Rescue Unit of the Main Directorate of the State Emergency Service (SES) of Ukraine in the Mykolaiv region to strengthen partnerships in mine action.   The event was attended by representatives from the leadership of the Emergency and Rescue Unit of the SES of Ukraine, the Danish Red Cross, the National Committee of the Ukrainian Red Cross, and the Mykolaiv regional branch of the Ukrainian Red Cross.   💬 "Thousands of signs have already been installed along roads, in fields, and forests — in the most dangerous areas. Together with our partners, we are building a true safety information shield for every community," said Svitlana Avramenko, Head of the Humanitarian Access and Protection Department of the Ukrainian Red Cross.   📍 Since 2023, the Ukrainian Red Cross has been installing similar signs in the Kharkiv, Kherson, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa, Chernihiv, and Zhytomyr regions. The work is ongoing — we remain committed to making even more areas safe.   Danish Red Cross in Ukraine  #redcrossukraine #Ukraine #ThanksVolunteers #MineRisk #MineAction #LandmineAwareness #ProtectCivilians #HumanitarianResponse #ExplosiveOrdnanceRisk #Mykolaiv

🗣️ Maksym Dotsenko: “The Ukrainian Red Cross demonstrates that a national society is capable not only of delivering humanitarian aid, but also of taking a leading role in crisis situations, forging partnerships, and reshaping approaches to humanitarian response.” This was stated today by the Director General of the Ukrainian Red Cross at the opening of a two-day international forum in Kyiv, dedicated to the exchange of experience in preparing for and responding to war and international armed conflicts. The event brought together senior representatives of national societies from the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, government officials from Ukraine and Europe, international humanitarian partners, and academic experts. Since the onset of the full-scale war in Ukraine in 2022, the Ukrainian Red Cross has carried out large-scale humanitarian operations under unprecedented conditions. Drawing on this experience, the organisation is creating a platform for cooperation, analysis, and strategic planning to strengthen the International Movement’s readiness to respond to similar crises in the future. As a trusted partner of the state in emergency response, the Ukrainian Red Cross was joined at the forum by representatives of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine. 💬 “This event is not only about sharing experience, but also about building trust and identifying concrete next steps for cooperation and capacity-building — both for Ukraine and our partners. The integration of the Ukrainian Red Cross into the Unified State System of Civil Protection strengthens and enhances the overall capacity of Ukraine’s civil protection system,” said Viktor Vitovetskyi, Director of the Department for Organisation of Civil Protection Measures at the State Emergency Service of Ukraine. Key topics at the forum included the role of national societies in armed conflicts, the legal framework for humanitarian action, practical aspects of coordination, communications and planning during wartime, as well as humanitarian diplomacy and adherence to the Movement’s Fundamental Principles. 💬 “The example of the Ukrainian Red Cross shows that even in the darkest of times, humanitarian assistance is not only an expression of compassion, but also a vital force for change,” said Hugo Slim, International Relations Adviser at the British Red Cross, Senior Research Fellow at the University of Oxford, and expert on the ethics of war. The forum will run until 18 June and aims to serve as a platform for strengthening dialogue, finding common solutions, and developing new strategies for humanitarian response at the international level. #redcrossukraine #Ukraine #ThanksVolunteers #Kyiv #HumanitarianResponse #ConflictPreparedness #InternationalHumanitarianLaw #WarResponse #IHL #EmergencyResponse #HumanitarianForum

⚡ The Ukrainian Red Cross Responds to Night-Time Attacks in Kyiv and Odesa Volunteers from the Ukrainian Red Cross emergency response teams are assisting victims at the scenes of the attacks and taking part in ongoing rescue operations. According to Ukraine’s Minister of Internal Affairs, Ihor Klymenko, 70 people have been affected across the country so far. This includes 14 fatalities and 44 injuries in Kyiv, and 10 injuries in Odesa. Photo credits: Marian Kushnir, Kostiantyn Liberov, Jan Dobronosov, Serhii Zahorodnyi, Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, Ukrinform, Suspilne Novyny, Ukrainian Red Cross volunteers #redcrossukraine #Ukraine #NotATarget #EmergencyResponse #ThanksVolunteers #Kyiv #Odesa #SupportUkraine

❤️🩹 Sessions on cardiovascular disease prevention took place in the Vinnytsia region   During hot weather, people with cardiovascular conditions and older adults require special care. That’s why the Health Promotion and Disease Prevention team organised information and practical sessions on arterial hypertension in the Tulchyn district.   At these sessions, participants learned: ✔️ What arterial hypertension is and the factors that contribute to its development ✔️ How lifestyle, diet, and stress influence blood pressure levels ✔️ Ways to prevent complications related to high blood pressure   🩺 The practical part of the programme included training on measuring blood pressure with a manual blood pressure monitor, individual consultations, and advice on daily blood pressure monitoring and cardiovascular disease prevention.   Participants gained valuable knowledge and motivation to look after their health every day.   The event was held as part of activities in the Vinnytsia region with support from the Danish Red Cross. Danish Red Cross in Ukraine #redcrossukraine #Ukraine #ThanksVolunteers #Vinnytsia #HealthPromotion #DiseasePrevention #HeartHealth #Hypertension #BloodPressure #HealthyLifestyle #CommunityHealth #HealthAwareness

💡 Design Thinking and Innovation Strategy in Social Business   Participants in the third cohort of REDpreneurUA continue their training in partnership with the School of ME, exploring key approaches for developing innovative, people-centred solutions. One such approach is design thinking.   Design thinking is a methodology that places people, along with their experiences, challenges, and needs, at the heart of the process. 🎯   This approach enables entrepreneurs to: 🔸 better understand their audience 🔸 test ideas before implementation 🔸 develop products and services that truly meet real needs 🔸 work creatively, even under challenging conditions   In addition to design thinking, participants are introduced to innovative strategies and creative problem-solving techniques. They are encouraged to generate unconventional ideas, break away from standard thinking patterns, and adapt their businesses to evolving challenges.   🤝 The REDpreneurUA programme is implemented by the Ukrainian Red Cross, in partnership with the Austrian Red Cross, and supported by the Neighbour in Need Foundation (Austria).   The programme is designed to support entrepreneurs who not only run businesses but also create social value within their communities.   Österreichisches Rotes Kreuz REDpreneur #redcrossukraine #Ukraine #ThanksVolunteers #REDpreneurUA #REDpreneur #NachbarInNot #NIN #DesignThinking #InnovationStrategy #SocialEntrepreneurship #ImpactDriven #CreativeSolutions #SocialImpact #Entrepreneurship

🐝 "Thanks to my determination, I was able to resume my life’s work" — Olena, a participant in the Ukrainian Red Cross Reboot programme Before the full-scale war broke out, Olena lived in Skadovsk, Kherson region, where she worked as a beekeeper. It was not only her source of income but also a favourite pastime that gave her strength and inspiration. The war forced her and her family to leave their home, farm, and everything they had built over the years. After settling in Mykolaiv, Olena was determined to rebuild her business. Seeking support, she learned about the "Reboot: Expanding Employment Opportunities" programme, which is being run in the region by the Ukrainian Red Cross with support from the Spanish Red Cross and the Danish Red Cross. By preparing a detailed business plan, Olena demonstrated the viability of her idea and became one of the programme’s winners, receiving a micro-grant to restart her beekeeping business. 🍯 🌻 Today, she is back at work with her apiary, producing honey for the people of the Mykolaiv region, regaining not only her business but also her sense of balance and purpose. #redcrossukraine #Ukraine #ThanksVolunteers #Reboot #EmploymentOpportunities #Entrepreneurship #Inspiration #Resilience #WomenInBusiness #SuccessStory #SupportLocal #Beekeeping #MicroGrant #SupportIDPs #CommunitySupport