Ukraine launches special exercise to prevent migrant infiltration on border with Belarus - TASS

Ukrainian servicemen and law enforcement agents began a special drill to stop potential migrants from infiltrating the border with Belarus, Deputy Head of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine Vladimir Nikiforenko said.

"A special border operation was coordinated for a future response to a possible complication of the situation jointly with interacting state structures and a corresponding plan was worked out," the press service quoted him as saying on the agency’s website.

According to the official, the threat of a migration crisis and the possibility of a migrant influx into the country remain on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border. He specified that the main task of those participating in the special operation is to prevent any illegal migrants from penetrating into Ukraine. According to him, in order to do so, the coordination of all participating agencies - the State Border Guard Service, the National Guard, the police, the armed forces and others - was ensured.

During the special operation, plans are in store to use aviation, including drones, for patrols. Additionally, it involves a substantial tightening of the border regime on the Ukrainian-Belarusian sector. Checkpoints will be set up on motorways in border districts, bus and railway stations will be inspected and preventive measures will be undertaken in populated localities near the border, the press service specified.