Largest convoy of fire and rescue vehicles leaves UK for Ukraine

A convoy of fire and rescue vehicles has set off from the UK to deliver emergency firefighting aid to Ukraine.

The 33 vehicles, including 20 fire engines – the largest convoy of its kind to date – left Kent on Tuesday morning carrying more than 2,800 pieces of equipment such as ladders, boats and breathing kits to the war-torn country.

More than 100 volunteers from 15 fire services, which have donated the equipment, and the organisation Fire Aid, are taking part in the convoy, which has been sponsored by the Home Office.

In an exclusive article for The Telegraph, Chris Philp, a Home Office minister, said the equipment is vital for the “heroic firefighters” of Ukraine, 91 of whom had given their lives during the conflict helping rescue victims of Vladimir Putin’s war.

“Putin is intentionally targeting civilians and civilian buildings in Ukraine, leading to unprecedented demands on the fire and rescue services that respond to these attacks,” he said.

“The fact the Ukrainian fire and rescue services have been able to respond to this number of incidents while suffering significant losses of personnel and equipment, is staggering.”

Since the start of the war, 396 fire stations and almost 1,700 fire vehicles have been destroyed. Nearly 350 firefighters have been injured and five are held in captivity in Russia.

“Ukraine must win this war and we must never waver in our support for them. However big or small the act, we will do what it takes to help Ukraine achieve victory – as all civilised countries must,” said Mr Philp

Six previous road convoys and a rail shipment have been made to Ukraine since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of the country in 2022.

Mark Hardingham, chairman of the National Fire Chiefs Council, said: “We have witnessed the sheer strength and resilience of Ukrainian firefighters since the day the war began.

“With the war continuing and the task before them increasingly challenging, the UK and international firefighter community will continue to provide support however we can.

“The efforts to bring this equipment together, and get it to where it’s needed most, demonstrates the very best of UK fire and rescue services.”

David O’Neill, chairman of Fire Aid, said firefighters were being increasingly targeted in Ukraine, with three recently killed during an air strike.

He added: “The impact that our donations are already having in Ukraine is clear, but it provides more than physical protection for firefighters; it shows they are not alone and gives them hope and courage to continue risking their own lives to save others.”

However big or small the act, we will help Ukraine achieve victory

By Chris Philp

With Russia’s barbaric, illegal invasion of Ukraine now in its third year, 217,000 buildings have been destroyed or damaged, there have been 18,270 fires and almost 5,000 people requiring rescue. These shocking figures convey a simple message – we must continue supporting the people of Ukraine, and prevent despots, like Putin, from being emboldened to try similar outrages elsewhere.

Putin is intentionally targeting civilians and civilian buildings in Ukraine, leading to unprecedented demands on the fire and rescue services that respond to these attacks.

The fact the Ukrainian fire and rescue services have been able to respond to this number of incidents while suffering significant losses of personnel and equipment, is staggering.

Tragically, 91 of Ukraine’s heroic firefighters have bravely given their lives so far, while a further 349 have been injured and five are held in captivity by Russia.

This is on top of the destruction of 396 firehouses, a further 92 which are now behind Russian enemy lines and almost 1,700 fire vehicles which have been destroyed.

Ukraine must win this war and we must never waver in our support for them.

However big or small the act, we will do what it takes to help Ukraine achieve victory – as all civilised countries must.  Speaking personally, in every ministerial office I have held since the invasion started, I have tried to help Ukraine.

This included signing off a £2.3 billion military aid package, approving export guarantees when I was chief secretary and preventing exports of sensitive materials such as semiconductors when I was technology minister.

And that is why now, as police and fire minister, I have supported Tuesday’s convoy of 30 fire and rescue vehicles and a further three support vehicles which have begun the journey from the UK to Ukraine to provide a record-breaking donation to support our Ukrainian friends.

The vehicles will also be delivering 2,800 pieces of equipment which will be used to respond to the damage Russia is inflicting on cities, towns and civilians across Ukraine.

This includes ladders, breathing apparatus, boats, fire and water PPE, hoses and equipment to support working at height.

Once handed over to the Ukrainian fire and rescue services, the equipment will be distributed across the country and the front line.

All of this kit has been donated by fire and rescue services across England and Wales, and the convoy has been coordinated by both the Home Office and the National Fire Chief’s Council.

I am proud that Tuesday’s donation adds to the more than 190,000 items of equipment and 89 fire and rescue vehicles that have already been donated to Ukraine so far.

This contribution is just one example of many showing that the UK is doing everything it possibly can to back Ukraine.

The UK has now provided almost £12 billion in military, humanitarian and economic support to Ukraine and has consistently been a first-mover when providing military support - from Storm Shadow cruise missiles to a squadron of Challenger 2 tanks.

In addition to this, our non-military support to Ukraine since the start of the invasion totals £4.7 billion and includes £4.1 billion in fiscal support and over £660 million in bilateral assistance. It was also excellent to see last weekend’s unprecedented support from the USA of a further $61 billion in military aid, which demonstrates the global scale of backing Ukraine is receiving.

We have also introduced the largest and most severe package of sanctions ever imposed on Russia or indeed any major economy. So far, the UK has sanctioned 2,000 individuals and entities under the Russia sanctions regime, over 1,700 of which were sanctioned since Putin’s full-scale invasion.

I am immensely proud of the UK’s contributions to help Ukraine fight for its freedom and survival, and I am proud of our fire and rescue service personnel who have selflessly volunteered to deliver Tuesday’s convoy.