Ukraine, NATO to hold security exercises during Euro 2012

BRUSSELS – Ukraine and NATO will hold a joint seminar and command-staff strategic exercises aimed at security protection during the Euro 2012 European Football Championship on April 18-20, 2012. The Ukrainian side at the exercises will be represented by the agencies directly responsible for security protection during the championship, including the Emergency Ministry, the Interior Ministry, the Health Ministry, the anti-terrorism center of the Security Service of Ukraine and the National Agency on Preparations for and Holding the Euro 2012 European Football Championship Finals in Ukraine and the Realization of Infrastructure Projects (Ukreuroinfraproject), Head of Ukraine's Mission to NATO Ihor Dolhov told Interfax-Ukraine in an exclusive interview.

The exercises will take place at the crisis center on the base of the Olympiysky National Sports Complex in Kyiv.

"Football is very popular in Europe, and demand to see the matches is huge. We hope that the Ukrainian hosts of the tournament will do everything for the convenience of their guests. Relevant conditions, including in the security sphere, should be created for a successful holiday," the Ukrainian diplomat said.

He added that the security issue includes several segments, namely "security of teams, fans, and the prevention of possible illegal visitors coming to Ukraine."

"From the viewpoint of security, it would be better if the public, supporters, football players don't notice anything, at the same time, all conditions for their safety are being created," Dolhov said.

The exercises will be aimed at learning about the advanced experience of the countries that hosted big sports events in the last ten years (Austria and Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands, Germany, and the United States) or will host international sportive competitions soon (Sweden, Finland, and Britain), according to the Ukrainian diplomat.

One and a half day of the exercises will be dedicated to theory, during which Ukrainian experts will listen about world experience in the sphere of inter-departmental cooperation, interaction between the private and state sectors. The issues of protection of the population from radiological, chemical, and bacteriological threats during big international sports competitions will also be considered.

The other day and a half will be dedicated to practice, in particular, command-staff strategic exercises will be held. The exercises will be aimed at development of a single strategy of cooperation between Ukrainian services in case of emergencies and strengthening of coordination between agencies.

Today NATO is working on emergency scenarios that will be worked on during the exercises.