On 2 November 2025, a 36-ton specialist fire rescue crane entered service with the fire brigade in Kryvyi Rih. This marked the successful completion of an international solidarity effort in which we joined forces with friends of Ukraine from Germany, Poland, and Ukraine.
In the face of ongoing air attacks on Ukrainian cities, specialist rescue equipment is absolutely essential. The heavy fire crane, donated by the German city of Osnabrück in Lower Saxony, was received by firefighters of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (DSNS) in Kryvyi Rih and immediately became a key tool in rescue operations and debris removal.
Transporting such a large piece of equipment — weighing 36 tons and with non-standard dimensions — from Germany to Ukraine was a major challenge, as the crane did not fit on standard truck trailers. It required numerous permits and professional coordination across three countries. We were asked to support this effort by Professor Fryderyk Zoll, founder of the Ukraine-Hilfe Osnabrück–Krakau–Ternopil association. A lecturer at Polish, Ukrainian, and German universities, he has long been engaged in supporting Ukraine and organizing humanitarian aid deliveries. This special humanitarian-logistical operation was made possible by joining forces with multiple partners.
Under the patronage of the United Nations Global Compact Network Poland, the transport was carried out by DB Schenker in cooperation with its Ukrainian partner DSV, while fuel costs (PLN 12,000) were covered by the Polish Red Cross.
As a result, the funds we had raised to cover transport costs from members of the informal initiative Entrepreneurs Help were redirected to purchase equipment for Ukrainian soldiers — including Polish nationals serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Thanks to donors, we were also able to deliver two off-road vehicles, equipment for drone operators, a Starlink communication system, and an EcoFlow power generator. This is clear proof that good multiplies.
The loading process in Germany began on 27 October 2025, and thanks to swift humanitarian transport notification, the crane crossed the Polish-Ukrainian border the very next day, on 28 October 2025. The entire mission proceeded smoothly, allowing the equipment to be quickly put into service.
As Prof. Fryderyk Zoll recalled:
“I was terrified, because the original idea — simply to get in and drive (of course with proper documents) — was impossible with such a giant. Fortunately, many people of goodwill stepped forward. I asked Minister Waldemar Żurek for help. Thanks to his support, I connected with Bartosz Kramek from the Open Dialogue Foundation. Bartek is a master organizer. We managed to create an entire network of associations and entrepreneurs willing to help. Professors from Osnabrück assisted, especially Prof. Oliver Dörr, the city’s mayor and officials, German firefighters, members of our association, the German freight forwarder DB Schenker, Polish entrepreneurs, and Ukrainian firefighters. Wiktor Antolak traveled to Ukraine to complete the formalities.
Our crane is already in eastern Ukraine. It will serve residents, protecting their property and lives. It is symbolic that all this was made possible thanks to cooperation between Germans, Poles, and Ukrainians.”
The initiative was also covered by the Ukraine-Hilfe association, the international platform Foreign Ukraine, and local media in Osnabrück:
- Osnabrück Informiert: Fire crane for Ukraine-Hilfe (16 September 2025)
- Feuerwehr-Magazin: Osnabrück donates fire crane to Ukraine (15 September 2025)
- Radio RST: Osnabrück donates “Jumbo” (11 September 2025)
We sincerely thank all partners involved in this extraordinary undertaking. If you would like to support our activities and help Ukraine, become our donor:
Cover photo: Heiner Lahmann, bos-fahrzeuge.info
