OSCE provides Ukraine’s emergency responders with chemical and radiological reconnaissance vehicle for rapid emergency site assessment

A stand-ready chemical and radiological reconnaissance vehicle was handed over to Ukraine’s State Emergency Service (SESU) during a ceremony in Kyiv on 28 January. It was purchased and modified with specialized equipment by the Extra-budgetary OSCE Support Programme for Ukraine (SPU) to strengthen national capacity to respond to chemical and radiological emergencies. 

The risk of such incidents has increased significantly as a result of the ongoing war, with attacks affecting industrial facilities, urban infrastructure and chemicals storages sites.  

“The faster you recognize the threat, the better you can act to save lives of people and ensure safety of your own personnel. We hope this specialized vehicle for radiation, chemical control and risk assessment will enhance your capacities in disaster prevention and management during these challenging times,” said Yaroslav Yurtsaba, Associate Programme Co-ordination Officer of economic-environmental and politico-military projects of the Extra-budgetary OSCE Support Programme for Ukraine. 

The vehicle will enable emergency responders to identify hazardous chemicals directly at incident sites and assess risks, conduct radiological reconnaissance, and support timely decision-making on necessary response measures. This will help ensure a high-quality and effective response to chemical emergencies. The laboratory will be deployed to one of the regions facing a heightened risk of war-related industrial accidents. In 2025, units of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SESU) responsible for radiological, chemical and biological protection responded  to 2,316 emergencies, including 28 radiation-related incidents and 155 cases involving dangerous chemicals. 

“This enhancement of our technical capacity is not just about a new vehicle; it’s a step towards improving safety of civilians and our units. With the new equipment, we will be able to respond to calls faster, perform better monitoring of the situation and minimize risks. Our goal is to make sure our rescuers have the best tools to protect the country,” said Roman Prymush, Deputy Head of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine for Digital Development, Digital Transformation and Digitalization, State Emergency Service of Ukraine.

Earlier, the OSCE developed methodological guidelines on sampling during chemical emergency response, which were officially approved and integrated into SESU operational procedures. In addition, the SPU trained thirty-two SESU officials from across all the regions of Ukraine, in conducting on-site sampling of potentially hazardous materials.