At a request of the Ukrainian authorities, Switzerland is providing Ukraine with a batch of equipment for extinguishing fires, cleaning polluted water and clearing rubble, the Federal Council of Switzerland reports.

"The Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS) and the city of Basel donated the equipment, worth CHF 5.2 million in total. The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), part of the FDFA, will finance and organise the transport of the goods. The first two lorries left Switzerland today," the report notes.

It is noted that all consignments will be transported by land in a staggered manner. The first two lorries carrying four construction vehicles set off today for Ukraine. In total, Switzerland will deliver 20 construction machines, three fire-fighting vehicles and a smaller vehicle for transporting equipment and personnel, two mobile containers for collecting and cleaning contaminated water, and two containers for emergency response including lifting and moving equipment, lighting and power generators.

The shipments will be handed over to the civil protection service of the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs after on-site training by specialists from the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit. The Ukrainian authorities will then transport this material to Kharkiv, among other places, to carry out reconstruction and repair work in this city in eastern Ukraine, where destruction has been significant.