OSCE enhances capacity of EOD instructors of National Police of Ukraine in detection and disposal of explosives

The OSCE trained Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) instructors to support Ukraine’s capacity in the detection and disposal of explosives through a three-week training course. The training of EOD instructors from the National Police of Ukraine (NPU) was held at the training site near Bristol, the United Kingdom, from 24 July to 11 August.

The representatives of the EOD Department of the NPU are among the key national bodies in Ukraine that carry out activities in the field of detection, neutralization, discharge, destruction, and transportation of explosive objects and materials. With the ongoing war against Ukraine, the explosives units of the NPU are forced to face a significant number of challenges in the field of detection and combating of improvised explosive devices.

“The development of the capacities and potential of the EOD instructors of the NPU in high threat EOD techniques will help to effectively prevent and counter the illegal trafficking of explosives on the territory of Ukraine and will contribute to the security and safety of the local population,” said Oleksandr Panchenko, Associate Project Officer at the Forum for Security Co-operation Support Unit.

The training course contributed to reducing the threat posed by improvised explosive hazards, illicit trafficking and the spread of weapons, ammunition, and explosives (WAE).

Specifically, the training sessions’ objective was to enhance the operational capacities of the NPU EOD instructors in countering explosive hazards, including through detecting the illicit trafficking of weapons, ammunition, and explosives.

Participants deepened their knowledge of hook and line techniques (a method used to move or gain access to explosive ordnance), best practices, target isolations, EOD identification and reconnaissance, and explosive and non-explosive methods of device defeat. Once back in Ukraine, the instructors will integrate the skills taken from their British colleagues into national EOD training programs, aligning them with international standards.

This initiative is a part of the project “In support of strengthening capacities of Ukrainian authorities in preventing and combating illicit trafficking in weapons, ammunition and explosives in all its aspects”, funded by the European Union, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Slovakia. The project also receives in-kind support from Lithuania, Poland and Spain.