The State Border Guard Service and the US Embassy launched a project to strengthen the security of the northern and eastern sections of the border of Ukraine
On December 10, the Joint Action Plan was signed in Cherkasy region. First Deputy Head of the State DPSU Volodymyr Nikiforenko, together with representatives of the US Embassy in Ukraine and the International Organization for Migration in Ukraine, were at the Main Training Center of the State Border Service of Ukraine named after Major General Igor Momot.
During the visit, Volodymyr Nikiforenko noted that the department has a long history of cooperation in the Law Enforcement Division of the US Embassy in Ukraine.
“This collaboration dates back to 2005, and it is invaluable. Thanks to her, the border agency has constant support in matters of reform, development and professionalization. Many projects have been implemented. This cooperation allows to obtain high world standards and best practices for the activities of the department, in particular for training personnel, and this includes good and effective programs of personnel management, and exchange of information and experience,” Volodymyr Nikiforenko said.
In turn, the head of the Department of International Affairs in the field of combating drug trafficking and law enforcement issues of the US Embassy in Ukraine, Sarah Langenkamp, emphasized close and long-term cooperation with the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine and the International Organization for Migration in Ukraine.
“Our visit is very timely, as Ukraine is going through difficult times and unprecedented challenges on the borders,” said Sarah Langenkamp.
She added that the project Strengthening the capacity of the State Border Guard Service in the field of security of the northern and eastern borders of Ukraine is aimed at providing technical assistance to border guards to improve the efficiency of service activities of units in the course of performing tasks of guarding the northern and eastern state borders of Ukraine and to effectively counter emerging threats to national security of Ukraine.
“The start of the project will start from January 2022, and the total amount of assistance is considered in the amount of 20 million US dollars,” noted Sarah Langenkamp.
This project provides for the possibility of providing the State Border Guard Service with unmanned aircraft systems, special vehicles, video monitoring, communications, equipment, etc.
“Today we have another technical assistance plan, we have signed a plan of this interaction, a plan of joint actions to implement and increase the capacity of the State Border Guard Service,” Volodymyr Nikiforenko noted.
“We are talking about ensuring, first of all, the urgent and priority needs of the linear units of the state border, about the protection of our personnel, about ensuring personal safety, about the comfort of being in the field, about the high-quality performance of tasks at the state border. Today we have a very difficult situation in the east of Ukraine, on the northern borders, and this technical project of cooperation is aimed at strengthening security at the border,” the First Deputy Head of the State Border Guard Service summed up.
During the visit, foreign delegates were also familiarized with the training and material base of the Main Center, shooting range, living conditions and training of cadets.
Guests visited the training complex of the Center for Training in the Application and Operation of Unmanned Aircraft Systems, which is built and operates with the support of the US Embassy in Ukraine and the Mission of the International Organization for Migration in Ukraine.
At the same time, the necessary regulatory framework on the organization of the use of UAVs has been developed in recent years.
“At present, this Center is one of the most powerful educational institutions in Ukraine, which trains operators of unmanned aircraft systems. On its basis, personnel training is carried out on the organization and execution of UAV flights, personnel admission to flights, combat coordination and annual inspections, organization of certification and state registration of UAVs, technical operation of UAVs, etc.”, - the head of the Main Center for Training of Persons emphasized to the delegations Dmytro Koceruba of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.
At the end of the meeting, the Ukrainian side expressed gratitude for the readiness of the Law Enforcement Division of the US Embassy in Ukraine to launch a new project of international technical assistance aimed at ensuring the priority needs of border protection units. Volodymyr Nikiforenko also assured the American side of the consistency of the border department of Ukraine in fulfilling its obligations within the framework of the state course of Ukraine on Euro-Atlantic integration.
Press service of the State Fiscal Service of Ukraine
