In this case, the media does not mention nationality
He didn’t hesitate for a moment. When he saw children falling into the water in a park on the Bydgoszcz Canal, he immediately rushed to the rescue.. Express to Bydgoszcz we managed to reach the man who on Saturday, January 10, prevented a tragedy. Oleksandr Bolotov, from Ukraine, saved 9-year-old sisters and told portal, what the dramatic moments on the canal looked like.
How the dangerous incident occurred
On Saturday, January 10, 2026, at 11:20 AM, the officer on duty at the Municipal Police Headquarters in Bydgoszcz received a report about children under whom the ice broke on the Bydgoszcz Canal, in the area Black Road Street. According to the police findings, two 9-year-old girls were playing on the frozen surface of the canal. At one point, the ice gave way – it cracked, and the children fell into the icy water.
The services’ actions and residents’ reports
As reported Express Bydgoszcz, shortly before at 11:30 residents noticed the cars speeding with their signals on three fire trucks and a police car.
“They drove along Grunwaldzka Street, near the Okole Business Park, and then turned toward the Bydgoszcz Canal. Three fire trucks and police,” one reader reported.
The services were called in connection with direct threat to children’s liveswhich ended up in the water after the ice broke.
– We received information that in the Bydgoszcz Canal, at a height of lock no. 5, there are two girls – said the officer on duty at the command post of the Municipal Headquarters of the State Fire Service in Bydgoszcz.
When firefighters arrived at the scene, the situation was already under control.. The children were pulled out of the water by a passer-by.who noticed the incident and reacted immediately. The girls – 9-year-old twin sisters – were said to be up to your neck in water.
The police announced in an official statement:
“Fortunately, a passerby was nearby who saw the incident and immediately rushed to help the girls get to shore. The children were unharmed and were returned to their home, under the care of their father.”
– The girls are now safe at home – firefighters confirmed.
An appeal from the services for caution
The police and fire brigade once again remind you that stepping onto frozen bodies of water is extremely dangerous.
The published recommendations read:
“If you see children playing on the ice unsupervised or anglers moving on frozen waters, react and call the emergency number 112. The only safe ice is on an artificial ice rink.”
Media and the overlooked context
In official statements of the services There was no information about the identity or nationality of the person saving the children, which is standard practice. Some media coverage focused solely on the course of the incident and the rescue operation.. Some media outlets also failed to mention that the hero was a Ukrainian citizen..
As a portal, we draw attention to this practice. In situations where events involving foreigners are negative, nationality is often strongly exposed. However, when Ukrainian citizens save lives or help selflessly, this fact is often is not emphasized.
The situation was different on social media. Internet users quickly began pointing out that the hero of the incident was a Ukrainian citizen. Comments suggested that this fact was worth noting, especially in the context of public information standards.
One thing is certain
Regardless of origin, Oleksandr Bolotov’s decisive and quick reaction saved the lives of two girls. Thanks to his actions, tragedy was avoided and the children returned home safely.
Source: Express Bydgoszcz / inpoland / Municipal Police Headquarters in Bydgoszcz
Journalist and Editor-in-Chief of Nowiny Wschodnie, a news platform followed by more than 140,000 people on social media. A graduate in Journalism and Social Communication, he has been co-creating and developing Nowiny Wschodnie since 2017. He gained professional experience working with local and international media.
He specializes in fact-checking, countering disinformation and propaganda, and information security. His work focuses on Poland, Ukraine, Eastern Europe, and Polish-Ukrainian relations. He is also the founder of a non-profit organization working in the fields of integration and intercultural dialogue.
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