Defenders of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine able to approach the state border in three regions

VALENTYNA ROMANENKO —  WEDNESDAY, 20 APRIL 2022, 15:07

Ukrainian border guards have been able to approach the state border in all directions in Kyiv, Sumy and Chernihiv regions and are re-establishing their positions.

Source: Andrii Demchenko, State Border Guard Service of Ukraine spokesman, at a briefing at the Ukraine Media Center and in a "Ukrainska Pravda" comment

Quote: "Border guards have gone to all areas of the state border within the Kyiv, Chernihiv and Sumy regions as part of the restoration of control over the state border, from where the defenders of Ukraine have expelled the occupiers.

First, together with the Ukrainian Armed Forces, border guards were able able to approach the border units and other places of deployment, and then they were able to travel towards the state control line, including towards checkpoints."

Details: Demchenko emphasised that the border length is almost 1,200 kilometres within these three regions.

Currently, border reconnaissance and engineering arrangements are underway. The necessary bases, observation posts and checkpoints are being set up.

The State Border Guard spokesman explains that due to the continuation of Russian aggression, there is no classic border protection, as mines, sabotage and reconnaissance groups still pose a danger as well as shelling from the adjacent territory [from the territory of Russia].

As an example, Demchenko gave cases of Russian shelling of Sumy Oblast from Grad multiple rocket launchers and mortar shelling of border guards' positions in Chernihiv region. A group of unknown individuals with weapons also tried to enter Ukraine near Senkivka (the uninvited guests left when the border guards opened fire). In the Chernihiv region, there are also shelters with weapons and ammunition left by the occupiers.

When asked by "Ukrainska Pravda" what the control over the border in the mentioned three regions looks like, the spokesman said:

"We are controlling the entire area, but there is Russian aggression, so the border is not being guarded in the classic way with full-fledged patrols by border guards.

We are arranging all necessary positions to ensure the control and security of personnel."