Ovcharuk Ihor

Head of the Humanitarian Demining Department “East”

Ihor is a Colonel of the Civil Protection Service, a combat veteran, and an experienced mine-safety instructor. He joined the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SES) in 2005 and rose from sapper to Commander of the Humanitarian Demining and EOD Unit at the SES Interregional Center for Humanitarian Demining and Rapid Response in Kharkiv.

In May 2022, Ihor was injured during operations when a POM-2 antipersonnel mine detonated, causing shrapnel wounds to his hands, legs, and face. After rehabilitation, he returned to his crucial mission of clearing his homeland of the war’s deadly remnants.

He has been decorated with the Orders of Courage, III and II Class.