TRIGLAV – Project Increasing the Level of Combating against CBRN Threats at the Slovak-Ukrainian Border

Abbreviation CBRN is used to designate radiological chemical, biological and nuclear materials and substances, whose inadequate control may pose threats to the global system of international security. Due to this, competent institutions should promptly respond to the identification of illicit CBRN materials. This is only possible through interdepartmental cooperation and awareness of mutual functions and responsibilities. Such an example is the cooperation between Ukraine and Slovakia.

Slovakia and Ukraine have been cooperating for more than six years to identify illicit CBRN materials at the Slovak-Ukrainian border. In 2017, the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, Science and Technology Center in Ukraine and Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, in partnership with the Presidium of the Police Force of the Slovak Republic, implemented the SOS-Alert Solution project. This program was developed to enhance the ability to intercept illicit CBRN materials at the Slovak-Ukrainian border.

The results of the SOS-Alert Solution project showed the risks associated with the shortcomings of cooperation between the competent authorities on both the Ukrainian and Slovak sides. This resulted in agreements on the development of another project in the new program period of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism, which is “TRIGLAV – Strengthen the fight against CBRN threats at the Slovak-Ukrainian border” (hereinafter referred to as TRIGLAV).

Both projects were launched due to the growing intensity of terrorist attacks in the European Union and the interest of such groups in CBRN materials. Most of the materials belonged to the countries of the former Soviet Union and were detected during their transport to the territory of Slovakia from Ukraine

About the project

The objective of the TRIGLAV project is to strengthen international cooperation and improve the detection and interception of illicit CBRN materials at the Slovak-Ukrainian border.

The partners will achieve their goals by eliminating obvious differences in the potential, capabilities and equipment of the security forces on both sides of the border. In addition, the education and training system in the field of CBRN safety will be formed. It will increase the level of awareness and practical skills for employees of government agencies responsible for combating the illicit handling of CBRN materials and security at the Slovak-Ukrainian border.

The project was launched during the opening conference on 17-19 January 2023 in Podbanske, Slovakia.

Project initiators and executors

The TRIGLAV project is implemented by the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, Security Service of Ukraine, International Research Center for Preventing the Consequences of Radiation, Chemical, Biological and Nuclear Threats under the support of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Slovak Republic and the Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (DSA).

Implementation stages

Project implementation is planned for four years, however, the outlined measures in the area of CBRN safety will be implemented in seven stages over two years and will contribute to strengthening Slovak-Ukrainian-Norwegian cooperation; harmonization of legislation of both states; increasing the level of training for experts and awareness among the public.

1. To begin with, legislation on CBRN is reviewed

As part of the first stage, three workshops were held involving experts from Slovakia, Ukraine and Norway. During the training, the participants reviewed and analyzed the current state of domestic regulations in the area of nuclear and radiation, chemical and biological safety, as well as physical protection, and provided proposals for amending the legislation.

A Joint Concept of Activities was also developed. Its purpose is to improve the system of prevention and combating the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and its use for terrorist purposes, as well as to determine the conditions for implementing joint actions in the area of CBRM at the Ukrainian-Slovak border.

The introduction of a new document will contribute to the establishment of cooperation between all institutions competent in countering the illicit use of CBRN materials in Slovakia and Ukraine.

Upon the implementation of the first stage, a memorandum of cooperation was signed between the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Slovak Republic.

2. Competent experts are above all

Since in Slovakia and Ukraine there is no systematic training on CBRN safety, the second stage of project implementation is aimed at forming an education and training system for personnel in the area of combating the illicit handling of CBRN materials. Upon completion, training materials will be developed, in particular, manuals on chemical and biological, nuclear and radiation safety, as well as physical protection.

Within this stage, it is planned to conduct training and organize study visits to countries that have a well-established and effective system of combating the illicit handling of CBRN materials, and also provide a comprehensive program of personnel training in this area.

The trip to the USA in September 2023 was one of these visits. Its purpose was to familiarize the representatives of the project partners with the methods of collecting and processing information on CBRN incidents in the USA, system of professional training and training for agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the area of CBRN, as well as to show the importance of interdepartmental cooperation in cases of CBRN incidents.

During the study visit, trip participants had the opportunity to learn about the FBI’s specialized training programs focused on CBRN threats, work at the crime scene and evidence handling protocols, as well as to share proven procedures and experience in this area. In particular, Ukrainian experts shared their experience in countering threats associated with the misuse of unmanned systems in the context of CBRN threats.

Based on the visit results, participants noted the importance of a unified system for management, coordination of actions between the institutions involved and an integrated approach during response to CBRN incidents.

3. Assimilation of knowledge through experience exchange

Within TRIGLAV project implementation, international exercises will be organized in Slovakia for representatives of Slovakia, Ukraine and Norway working in competent institutions. In addition, CBRN experts from ten European countries and three international organizations will be involved in the exercises as observers. The exercises will help to identify gaps in current cooperation, facilitate experience exchange between participants, and test a new concept for detecting and responding to CBRN incidents.

4. Presentation of the project and achieved results

The project provides for the opening and final conferences in Slovakia.

The project was presented, goals and objectives were defined at both the national and international levels during the opening conference. In addition, the event contributed to establishing relationships among relevant stakeholders in the fight against CBRN crime.

The purpose of the final conference is to formally close the project and present the results to the international community.

5. Everyone will be trained

Within the project, it is planned to train employees of government agencies competent in the field of combating the illicit handling of CBRN materials in order to increase their knowledge and skills in this area. The workshop will also be held for employees of the prosecutor’s office and judicial system. In addition, in Slovakia, similar workshops will be organized for private companies involved in the legal handling of CBRN materials.

During one of the planned workshops, which took place in Košice, Slovakia, a presentation was made for project partners on the cooperation between government security forces and the private sector in responding to radiological and nuclear incidents or seizure of radioactive materials in the Slovak Republic. Workshop participants had the opportunity to see how the authorized handling of high-level radiation sources is conducted, as well as to see examples of recent seizures of materials containing radioactive substances.

6. Equipment will be improved

To improve equipment of law enforcement agencies, which leads to an increased level of preparedness to respond to CBRN incidents and conduct pre-trial investigations, detection devices and protective equipment will be purchased for bodies authorized to combat the illicit handling of CBRN materials in Slovakia and Ukraine.

7. Public outreach is important

For the first time, partners noted the low level of public awareness on CBRN safety issues and possible misuse of CBRN materials. Therefore, it was decided to conduct an information campaign among the public. Informing will be provided through audiovisual media (advertising videos) and printed handouts (brochures, leaflets). The implemented measures will increase public awareness and improve the interaction between institutions and the public.

Instead of conclusions

The TRIGLAV project is an important element of the international partnership in the area of CBRN safety. The implementation of the above measures will contribute to increasing the awareness of experts and improving their skills, and pre-established interdepartmental interaction is a necessary condition for effective combating the Illicit handling of CBRN materials.

Unfortunately, the issue of CBRN safety is now more challenging than ever. The full-scale russian invasion of Ukraine, capture of Ukrainian nuclear facilities, occupation of Ukrainian territories where enterprises using CBRN materials are located, their shelling and military operations nearby, threats of nuclear blackmail and already recorded cases of using chemical weapons by the aggressor country on the territory of Ukraine leads to an increase in the level of CBRN hazard, which in turn entails new threats associated with the illicit transport of CBRN materials.

For example, due to combat operations in the Odessa and Kirovohrad regions alone, 7 units of sealed radiation sources were lost. Furthermore,  National Scientific Center “Institute of Metrology” and Sumy Customs of the State Customs Service reported about the possible loss of regulatory control over radionuclide sources in the deoccupied territories of the Kharkiv and Sumy regions.

Ukraine is also ready to deepen international cooperation in the area of CBRN and is grateful to partner countries for making joint efforts to combat new CBRN threats caused by the russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and working together to improve the level of response to CBRN incidents and prompt detection of hazardous materials.

The security of Ukraine is important not only for our country, but also for all member states of the European Union as a whole. The implementation of the TRIGLAV project contributes to increasing the security level at the Slovak-Ukrainian border, preventing terrorist attacks, implementing measures to prevent the illicit import of hazardous materials into the territory of Slovakia, and therefore, due to the lack of an internal border in the Schengen area, into the European Union .

The information was prepared by Ukrainian partner of the project International Research Center for Preventing the Consequences of CBRN Threats.