Units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine receive 1170 women's bulletproof vests from the GS-Foundation
Today, on August 28, Kateryna Pavlichenko, the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, the representatives of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Ukraine and the GS-Foundation held a ceremony to hand over women's bulletproof vests with ballistic plates for the needs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.
The amounts to 1,170 pieces of equipment to be sent to the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, the National Guard of Ukraine and the National Police of Ukraine.
At the outset of the event, Kateryna Pavlichenko expressed her gratitude to the international partners for the new assistance package and highlighted the fact that it was the first time that the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine received bulletproof vests adapted for women.
"I would like to express my gratitude to the GS-Foundation, the Government and the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Ukraine and the entire German people for the support and assistance we have received from you. Today we are receiving 1,170 women's bulletproof vests and in the near future they will be delivered to the National Police of Ukraine, National Guard of Ukraine, State Emergency Service of Ukraine and State Border Guard Service of Ukraine. These bulletproof vests will significantly improve the service for women, as they are designed specifically for women's body structure. They are sufficiently protected and will be used in units that perform their functions on the front line", – said Kateryna Pavlichenko
In her turn, Lisa Heike, the Political Adviser at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Ukraine, noted that the transfer of women's bulletproof vests is the beginning of an important and completely new area of cooperation with the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine. She noted that Ukrainian women are now increasingly involved in security affairs, therefore their protection should be appropriate:
“These bulletproof vests are yet another testament to our commitment to helping Ukraine. This is our contribution to the civilian protection sector, as we are well aware that this is exactly what will strengthen Ukraine's ability to fight the russian aggression. The ballistic bulletproof vests will help women in the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine to perform their duties safely, while upholding law and order and protecting civilians in different regions of Ukraine. This personal protective equipment is specially adapted to the female body structure. By providing them, we recognise the enormous contribution women make to our overall security. We understand that women are taking on more and more responsibility in security matters”.
Hennadii Fedoriuk, the Deputy Head of the National Police of Ukraine, stated that the agency currently employs almost 25% women, performing all the necessary tasks on an equal footing with men. It is therefore important to provide them with everything they need, including personal protective equipment:
“The war has fundamentally changed the lives of all Ukrainians, including the National Police of Ukraine. Currently, the National Police of Ukraine is performing functions that are not typical for it in peacetime. These include performing duties on the frontline on a par with the Armed Forces of Ukraine, evacuating civilians and delivering humanitarian aid. And today, almost 25% of the total number of personnel in the National Police of Ukraine are women. Therefore, your help is very important and necessary for us today”.
The participants of the event also got a closer look at the assistance provided. According to Serhii Osmak, the Chief Inspector of the Armaments and Logistics Unit of the Rapid Response Corps Department "KORD" of the National Police of Ukraine, these vests consist of a rigid armour plate combined with ballistic material that provides the maximum level of protection:
“Taking into account the anatomy of the female body, it is impossible to achieve the maximum fit using a rigid armour plate. This creates a void that negatively affects the overall ballistic properties of the vest and can serve as a risk zone. Accordingly, to address this issue, women's bulletproof vests were developed with additional special elements added to the design. This bulletproof vest will not cause discomfort and will provide proper conditions for women to serve”.
At the end of the event, Kateryna Pavlichenko, the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, expressed her gratitude to the partners for the visit and the donation and stressed that each bulletproof vest is a symbol of commitment and solidarity with the Ukrainian people.
“Your support has been extremely important for us, as each bulletproof vest is not only an element of protection, but also a symbol of your commitment and solidarity with the Ukrainian people. It significantly strengthens our ability to withstand the aggression of the russian federation and supports the morale of our military and law enforcement officers”, – summed up Kateryna Pavlichenko.
Communications Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine
