Ukrainian border guards explore Finnish practices in border surveillance
From 14 to 20 September, a delegation from the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (SBGS) travelled to Finland to learn about the Finnish model of monitoring and controlling natural, often remote, land and lake borders.
The trip was organised with the support of the European Union Advisory Mission to Ukraine (EUAM Ukraine).
The visit allowed participants to observe Finland’s advanced border surveillance systems, technologies, and operational practices. The programme included visits to border guard stations and command and control centres in the Southeast Finland and North Karelian Districts, demonstrations of surveillance tools, and discussions with Finnish experts on how to best plan and organise patrol activities.
The Ukrainian delegation also visited sections of the ‘green’ border and, reflecting Finland’s unique geography, joined a patrol on the external ‘blue’ border by boat.
“Police, Customs and Border Guard cooperation in Finland has a long tradition, and focuses on crime prevention at central, regional and local levels. To enable the efficient use of common resources and enhance response capability, especially in remote areas, the executive powers partly overlap. This allows the parties to flexibly perform tasks on each other’s behalf and support each other with personnel and resources,” said Antti Hartikainen, EUAM Ukraine’s Senior Border/IBM Adviser.
During the study visit, Ukrainian officers explored a wide range of equipment used by their Finnish colleagues, including drones, protective gear, real-time reporting systems, and K9 teams. Discussions also covered current challenges such as instrumentalised migration and hybrid threats, which affect border management across Europe.
Find out more
MOST READ
[popular_posts columns_xl=”4″ columns_l=”4″ columns_m=”3″]
