State Emergency Service of Ukraine

The State Emergency Service (), until 24 December 2012 the Ministry of Emergencies of Ukraine (), is the main body in the system of central bodies of the executive power that provides realization of a state policy in the sphere of a civil defence, rescue, creation and functioning of the system of insurance fund documentation, utilization of radioactive wastes, protection of population and territory from any emergency situations, preventing such situations and reaction to them, liquidation of their results and the results of the Chernobyl catastrophe. It is abbreviated as МНС [України]. The ministry manages its sphere of operations and is fully responsible for its development. The agency directly administers the zone of alienation which is located just north of Kyiv.
The agency's motto is "To prevent. To rescue. To help." ().
Brief overview.
The former ministry was created in 1996 upon the merging the ministry of Ukraine in protection of population from the consequences of the Chernobyl catastrophe and the headquarters of the state civil defense which until then were two different establishments. Later in 2003 to the agency was included the Fire Department that was under jurisdiction of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (Militsiya).
Until 1991 the ministry of Ukraine in protection of population from the consequences of the Chernobyl catastrophe was a state committee of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukrainian SSR, while the state civil defense was part of the bigger All-Union civil defense network in the Soviet Union.
Until 2005 the agency was a military reserve of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, but after the 2003 reform and merger with the Fire Department, all militarized formation were dissolved and in 2005 the agency became officially non-military and focused on rescue services.
Until the administration reform on December 9, 2010 it was called as Ministry of Ukraine in emergencies and affairs in protection of population from the consequences of the Chornobyl catastrophe. After the reform three major bodies of central executive power were directly subordinated to it:
On 24 December 2012 the Ministry of Emergencies of Ukraine was transformed into State Emergency Service and placed under jurisdiction of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine. On 25 April 2014 the service was transferred to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.
Ranks.
Higher commanding staff
Senior commanding staff
Average commanding staff
Junior commanding staff
State Emergency Service Aviation.
The Special Aviation Unit and Operational Rescue Service of the State Emergency Service (Спеціальний авіаційний загін оперативно-рятувальної служби цивільного захисту) is based in the city of Nizhyn.
The Special Aviation Unit can work independently or in cooperation with other units of the State Emergency Service to fulfill the task of protection of population and territory, material and cultural values and the environment during emergencies, special works in difficult conditions.
As of September 2018 it was planned that three H225 helicopters will be serving the State Emergency Service Aviation.