Ihor Klymenko Kharkiv region “I am inspired by looks of gratitude, which sometimes mean far more than words”

Ihor Klymenko has been in the emergency response team since the first months of the full-scale invasion. Today, he leads a team that works every day where help is needed most urgently.

“The team is my life,” says Ihor. For him, it is not only about responding to emergencies, conducting evacuations, and operating in high-risk areas (‘red zones’), but also about the people around him — those who support each other, help cope after difficult missions, and find the strength to keep going.

One of the most challenging experiences was working in Bakhmut. “I no longer knew where the shelling was coming from — I was simply terrified,” he recalls. Ihor suffered a concussion there, and the route to the evacuation vehicle remains etched in his memory.

Leading the team has taught him responsibility for people and for the decisions that must be made in critical situations. “It is a great honour to serve as commander of the Ukrainian Red Cross emergency response team in the Kharkiv region,” Ihor says.

To those considering joining, he speaks frankly: “If you are not afraid of sleepless nights, risking your life, and dedicating your own energy and resources — then you are welcome to join the emergency response team.”