President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Comrades,

I extend my congratulations on Rescue Worker's Day.

This is a professional holiday for those who are constantly on duty, always ready to come to the aid of others, acting swiftly, decisively, and effectively in the most complex and extreme emergency situations.

Of course, today, we also pay special tribute to the veterans of the Russian Ministry of Emergencies and related services: those who established the noble traditions of rescuers.

With each passing year, the Ministry's technical capabilities and the level of professional training of its personnel continue to grow. Unique operational experience has been accumulated, reinforcing the Ministry's well-deserved reputation as one of the most effective rescue agencies in the world - and in a number of key areas, unquestionably the best, with no equal.

Over the past years, more than 600 search-and-rescue and humanitarian operations have been conducted outside Russia.

But obviously, the Ministry's primary efforts and all of its resources and capabilities serve to ensure the safety of our citizens.

Over these 35 years, the number of lives you have saved without exaggeration amounts to hundreds of thousands. Rescuers are always the first to arrive where determination, courage, and the highest level of professional skill are required: the debris of destroyed buildings and at the scenes of major road accidents. You climb mountains, descend into the depths of mines, and land by parachute. You evacuate people from remote areas, taiga forests, and flood-stricken settlements. Firefighters battle flames to save those in danger.

Today, the Ministry of Emergencies is equipped with modern technology and advanced equipment. Programmes with elements of artificial intelligence are being introduced.

Increasing attention is being paid to disaster prevention, including through the use of space-based monitoring systems.

I would like to particularly highlight the work of the medical professionals and counsellors serving within the Ministry. Their expertise and dedication are often truly irreplaceable.

I would like to also ask you to convey my sincere gratitude to those employees who are carrying out the most complex and demanding tasks in the conditions of the special military operation, as well as in liberated and border territories. Under fire, you restore critical infrastructure, deliver humanitarian assistance to civilians, and clear areas of explosive hazards.

We are proud of your courage and your readiness to risk your own lives for the sake of others. The people of Russia will never forget the employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations - our comrades, true heroes who gave their lives in the line of duty.

Your examples of professionalism and selfless service are shaping the next generation of rescuers, who, I am confident, will prove worthy of this high and honorable calling.

Happy Rescue Worker's Day to you, dear friends. And, of course, a Happy New Year. I wish you and your families good health, strength, and continued success.