The State Service of Ukraine for Emergency Situations has been honoring laureates of the All-Ukrainian action “Rescuer Hero of the Year” for 12 years in a row. It aims to identify outstanding individuals who have shown courage and heroism during the rescue of people, property, and liquidation of fires, accidents, emergencies and natural disasters.

Every year, before the Day of the Rescuer, which is celebrated on September 17, there is a ceremonial awarding of the winners. This year, among seven residents from different parts of Ukraine, two Dnipro residents – Yurii Vasetskyi and Vasyl Chepovyk – were the laureates of the action. The first rescued a teenager from the rubble of a residential building hit by a Russian rocket, and the second pulled out an injured doctor from the ruins of a medical facility, which was also destroyed by the Russian airstrike.

On the eve of the award ceremony, the laureates of the “Rescuer Hero of the Year” event Yurii Vasetskyi and Vasyl Chepovyk met in Dnipro, and they went by car to Kyiv for the awards together.