OSCE strengthens Ukraine’s inter-agency capacity to counter illicit trafficking of weapons, ammunition and explosives

In 2026, the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre delivered a specialised inter-agency training programme to strengthen Ukraine’s capacity to respond to the illicit movement of weapons, ammunition and explosives (WAE) across the state border.

As a result of five consecutive training events, more than 100 representatives of the State Customs Service, State Border Guard Service, Security Service, and National Police of Ukraine strengthened their knowledge and practical skills to more effectively interdict illicit WAE.

“The practical exercises brought together representatives of all four services and allowed us to see the entire response chain from a single perspective. We gained a much clearer understanding of each service’s role, improved coordination and information-sharing, and identified ways to eliminate unnecessary procedures. In practice, this means faster decisions, more effective action and better results at every stage, from the in-depth inspection and detection of weapons, ammunition or explosives to their documentation and further investigative procedures,” said Viktor Halkin, State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.

The programme focused on establishing a co-ordinated inter-agency response system at border crossing points. Through practical exercises and realistic scenarios, participants worked together to test and improve the full response chain, from initial detection and risk assessment to identification, documentation, seizure, safe storage and transfer of firearms to the competent authorities for further investigation.

The trainings combined Ukrainian operational experience with European expertise on trafficking trends, sophisticated concealment methods and border control. Participants also practised vehicle inspection, risk profiling and the use of specialised equipment.

“The European expertise was equally valuable. The session on inspecting electric vehicles was particularly timely, as their use in Ukraine continues to grow. Learning about specific safety measures, possible concealment methods and the techniques used by offenders gave us practical knowledge that we can apply in our daily work. The training was not only about learning new procedures - it was about making our joint response more co-ordinated, faster and more effective,” Viktor added.

Beyond individual skills, the programme strengthened operational co-operation between the participating services, generated practical recommendations for improving inter-agency procedures, and laid the foundation for a nationwide network of WAE specialists and advisers able to support colleagues and promote consistent approaches at border crossing points.

With specialists trained across Ukraine, the initiative is helping turn inter-agency co-operation into a practical, co-ordinated system for detecting, safe handling and thorough investigation of WAE-related incidents, contributing to stronger border security and European regional stability.

This initiative is a part of the OSCE extrabudgetary project "In support of strengthening the capacities of Ukrainian authorities in preventing and combating illicit trafficking of weapons, ammunition and explosives in all its aspects" funded by the European Union, Finland, France, Germany, Poland and the United Kingdom. The training was also supported by the European Border and Coastguard Agency (Frontex), and the Vehicle Concealment Expert Group, established under the EMPACT framework.