Today, Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, and the State Border Guard Service have signed a grant agreement worth 12 million euros to support Ukrainian border officers in performing their duties during the cold winter months.
The main objective of this project is to support the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine to enhance border security, particularly at the country’s Western borders with Member States and Moldova, and to ensure business continuity.
The grant covers a list of equipment, such as warm winter uniforms for border guards, electric generators, portable power stations, field kitchens, patrol vehicles, or pumps.
The agreement, signed remotely by Frontex Deputy Executive Director Uku Särekanno and Head of Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service, Major General Serhii Deineko, will be implemented throughout 2023.
“With the current critical situation at the border likely to continue, supporting the business continuity of our Ukrainian colleagues is crucial, both for Ukraine and the EU. To maintain business continuity and effectiveness, the Ukrainian State Border Guard Service needs financial support to acquire necessary means to perform its core functions,” said Frontex’s Deputy Executive Director.
“The initiative and participation of Frontex in strengthening the capacity of the Ukrainian border guard is extremely important. We want to express our sincere gratitude to Frontex for your constant and consistent support. The equipment and property that we can purchase with the help of the grant will support our institutional capacity in important and strategic areas of Ukraine’s state border with the European Union and the Republic of Moldova,” said General Deineko.
The Russian aggression against Ukraine continues to impact the country’s capacity to effectively perform its core functions, including in border management. With continuous air strikes by the Russian aggressor disabling Ukraine’s critical energy infrastructure, the country needs urgent assistance during winter, while continuing to tackle other threats caused by war.
The equipment will be used for civilian border management purposes at Ukraine’s Western borders with EU Member States and Moldova and in its proximity. This will also prepare the State Border Guard Service to potentially host Frontex joint operations in the future.
In 2022, more than 12 800 0000 Ukrainian nationals entered the European Union via its land borders, while 10 700 000 people returned to their country.
Frontex reacted swiftly following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Just days after, the agency sent its standing corps officers to Member States such as Romania, as well the EU’s neighbour Moldova, with assisting millions of refugees seeking shelter from the war.
