Greetings of Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov on the occasion of the Day of the Border Guard

I sincerely congratulate all the guardians of the state frontiers!

At all times, a strong border was one of the key elements of state security. Today, the boundary of Western civilization begins with the Ukrainian border. And the guards of the forefront of defense heroically and selflessly carry out all the tasks that the Ukrainian people and the state leadership have defined, defend its independence, sovereignty, and peace of the citizens.

In hard and dangerous times, when the enemy threatened the very existence of our country, the border guards were the first to bear the brunt in the East. Many of those who stopped the enemy invasion did not return home, giving their lives for the independence of Ukraine. Eternal glory to the heroes who gave the most valuable - their lives - defending the Homeland!

The State Border Guard Service reliably protects Ukraine not only at the frontline. You play one of the key roles in fulfilling our European integration aspirations, completing the task of forming a new face of the Ukrainian border and introducing a modern model of public administration in the field of border management - integrated border management.

Deepening cooperation with the border authorities of the European Union member states, the Black Sea and Baltic regions, the United States of America, as well as with international law enforcement organizations, testifies to Ukraine's significant contribution to international and regional security, in the fight against transnational and trans-border crime.

The recovery of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, the liberation from the occupation of the Donbas, the return of the Crimea lay ahead, and the border guard authority is of great importance for the fulfillment of these tasks. The state will continue its efforts to increase its ability to effectively confront the challenges and threats at the state border.

I wish you good health, bravery, courage, peace and tranquility on our Ukrainian land! May God save you and your families!

Glory to Ukraine!