Ukrainian, Lithuanian border guards to cooperate in fight against cross-border crime

Ukrainian and Lithuanian border guards have agreed on cooperation between operational units in the fight against cross-border crime, the Ukrainian Interior Ministry's press service has reported.

"During the visit of the delegation of the State Border Guard Service at the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania to the Administration of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, the parties discussed current risks and threats at the Ukrainian and Lithuanian state borders," the report said.

The participants in the meeting also discussed how to address existing and projected security challenges and agreed on cooperation between operational units and the exchange of information to better combat cross-border crime.

"We are discussing issues of interaction, exchange of work experience. The issues that concern both Ukraine and Lithuania are the same. These are problems related to illegal migration, smuggling, human trafficking, drug smuggling and so on," said Major General Yurii Ziuzko, Director of the Department of Operational and Investigative Activities of the SBGS Administration.

Donatas Skarnulis, Head of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Lithuanian State Border Guard Service, in turn, emphasized stressed the urgency of this meeting for the border services of the two countries.

"Currently, Lithuania is facing a hybrid threat on the border with the Republic of Belarus. And here we have the opportunity to share experience in combating this threat," he said.

op