Radiation detection equipment created by Kromek in Sedgefield has been used to protect Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at an awards ceremony in Germany.

Aachen police, supported by the EU Commission Protective Security Advisor team, utilised the Kromek equipment to secure venues against radiological threats.

The Ukrainian President was visiting the city to receive the Charlemagne Prize,  presented for work done in the service of European unification. He then went on to visit world leaders in the UK, Italy and France to discuss further defence packages for his country.

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Kromek’s portable radiological detector D3S was used at all security checkpoints along with other security equipment to ensure that the 750 guests were secure during the ceremony.

The mobile phone-sized detector is used to search and identify radioactive doses in the environment and give feedback to the user instantaneously.

The Northern Echo: A 'detector dog' wears one of Kromek's portable devicesA 'detector dog' wears one of Kromek's portable devices (Image: Kromek)

Dr Arnab Basu, CEO of Kromek, said: “We’d like to extend our congratulations to President Zelenskyy on receipt of the Charlemagne Prize, and we are delighted to have played a part in ensuring he and the other VIPs remained safe during the ceremony.

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“Like the rest of the world, we have followed the story of the war in Ukraine closely, and appreciate the concerns that the police in Aachen may have had in hosting this event, particularly given recent strikes on Kyiv.

“Kromek has provided essential, portable radiation detection equipment to a number of government agencies worldwide, and we will continue to develop our technology as potential threats evolve.”