During a meeting of the Law Enforcement Sectoral Working Group, Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Ihor Klymenko noted that another important component of security was strengthening the state border. To protect the national interests of our country, the Ministry of Internal Affairs is implementing the Safe Border project.
"The northern border with the republic of belarus and the russian federation is a system of fortifications. Every metre is under the scrutiny of border guards and police forces. The border with European countries is under round-the-clock surveillance. We counteract illegal migration, smuggling, arms and drug trafficking. Within the limits of our capabilities, we continue to technically equip the border with the EU and Moldova, deploy video surveillance systems with thermal imagers, and carry out aerial monitoring," said the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, addressing international partners.
Ihor Klymenko also informed the audience about the work of the Integrated Border Management Coordination Centre, which reflects the current situation at the state borders. The Centre's main objective is to provide comprehensive coverage of the security situation on a 24/7 basis.
The functioning of the Integrated Border Management Coordination Centre is one of the key criteria for Ukraine's accession to the European Union, as stipulated in the Regulation of the European Parliament and the Council of the EU as a basic requirement for all EU member states.
The Minister of Internal Affairs also reminded that Ukrainian border guards not only guard the state borders, but also protect critical infrastructure facilities together with the National Guard.
"Border guards are actively and successfully protecting critical infrastructure facilities located on the European section of our border. So is the National Guard, which is not only involved in combat missions. The Guards protect the skies over critical nuclear and electricity facilities from russian drones and missiles," the Minister added.
The event was attended by the heads of more than 30 embassies of partner countries in Ukraine, heads of missions of international organisations, members of the Parliament of Ukraine - members of the Committee on Law Enforcement, heads of units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, the Office of the Prosecutor General, the Security Service of Ukraine, the State Bureau of Investigation and the State Customs Service of Ukraine.