Ukraine’s border authorities receive equipment and information materials from the OSCE to better identify and address chemical security risks

At a ceremony in Kyiv on 9 December 2020, Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service and State Customs Service received equipment and reference materials from the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine as part of their efforts to strengthen the country’s control over transboundary movement of chemicals.

“No modern economy can exist now without active movement of chemical products across its borders. There are also growing risks of criminal activity in this sphere, be it a smuggling attempt or a planned terrorist activity with the use of controlled substances,” said Henrik Villadsen, OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine. “We hope that our assistance will help strengthen Ukraine’s own capacity for timely identification of and response to chemical threats at the border to minimize risks to the health and lives of people”.

The equipment includes 60 sets of chemical control kits with protective gear and tools to enable quick identification of toxic hazards. Four hydrogen generators and two precise laboratory scales were also received by the State Customs Service’s specialized laboratory for performing investigative tests to evaluate suspect materials and address incidents with chemicals at border crossings.

Both services also received 820 sets of pocket guides with tips on identifying toxic chemicals, as well as brief guidance on actions to take in case of emergencies; including spills of dangerous substances, transportation accidents and other cases involving chemical materials.

Last year, the Co-ordinator also trained around 100 border officials, including trainers-of-trainers, to respond to chemical emergencies through a series of three theoretical training sessions and four practical drills at land, air and sea border crossing points. Thematic educational videos were also produced for institutions that train and retrain border guards and customs officers.

The training and equipment were provided as part of a project implemented by the Co-ordinator with the financial assistance of the European Union and the United States of America.