Participant of the Regional Competition "Young Person of the Year – 2025" in the Nomination "Critical Infrastructure Worker of the Year" Illya Baranov
Illia Baranov is 22 years old. Today, he is a fitter in the emergency team at the Sloviansk gas supply and distribution department, and this profession has become a matter of honor for him. Although he has been working in the gas industry for only a year and a half, in this short time Illia has not only mastered complex technical processes but also proven that even at a young age, you can be on the front lines of critical infrastructure—literally.
Illia started working in the gas sector in February 2024. He planned to work as the person responsible for the gas supply system in his native village of Nykonorivka, which is currently 12 kilometers from the front line. After a few months of training, his colleagues noted his quick wit and readiness to work under any conditions, so Illia was transferred to the emergency dispatch service.
Today, his work is not just about nuts, pipes, or drawings. It involves trips to shelling zones, to places where shells have just fallen, where debris is burning and there is a smell of smoke. Illia and his colleagues are the first to arrive at the scene of an emergency to localize gas leaks, shut off the supply, and prevent explosions. It is a difficult, risky, but extremely necessary job.
Responsibility is a quality that Illia has demonstrated since his first day on the job. His colleagues know that they can rely on him at any moment. Illia does not shy away from difficult decisions and always acts with composure and a cool head—even in hot spots.
Illia himself recalls several instances during his year of work in the emergency dispatch service when he literally had to go into the flames. One such incident was near the Sloviansk railway station when, arriving at the shelling site at 2 a.m., the emergency team led by Illia had to wait until 5 a.m. to safely get to the damaged gas pipeline and shut off the gas supply. They had to work amidst smoke, under the constant threat of a repeat strike.
At a time when the Donetsk region is under fire and gas infrastructure is one of the most vulnerable targets, Illia is among those who do their job without unnecessary words. His story is a story of professionalism that comes not with age, but with inner core. It is a story about the young people who are already holding the safety of their native land on their shoulders.