The guards of the borders of the Ukrainian state are an important component of the security and defense of Ukraine.

In a festive parade along the main street of the country's capital, the border guards marched with honed steps together with other representatives of law enforcement agencies, the Ukrainian Armed Forces and international partners.

The guards of the borders of the Ukrainian state are an important component of the security and defense of Ukraine.

Border guards were the first to engage in a bitter struggle against the enemy for the independence and territorial integrity of their homeland.

More than 21,000 border guards took part in the anti-terrorist operation, the Joint Forces Operation. For their courage and heroism 957 defenders of the border received high state awards, four of which were awarded the high title – Hero of Ukraine.

Officers and cadets of Bohdan Khmelnytskyi National Academy of State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, flag bearers – participants of ATO – lieutenant-colonel Andriy Koval and major Dmytro Chernousov marched step by step. The parade formation includes 25 representatives of border guard dynasties, 10 participants in military activities and 9 students with outstanding academic performance. The deputy head of the faculty, Colonel Vadym Liasheniuk, led the parade crew.

For the first time in the military parade on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of Independence of Ukraine, the border guards are represented by dog handlers with service dogs. The canine parade crew consisted of the best and most trained representatives of the canine service from all the border detachments.

Most of the dog handlers performed tasks in anti-terrorist operations on the eastern borders of the state, and they all have achievements that contribute to the common cause of protecting the state border.

The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine has more than 1,300 service dogs of different breeds.

Service dogs of the German shepherd breed, which are used to search, pursue and apprehend offenders, search for drugs, explosives, weapons and ammunition during the protection of state borders and border control participated in the festive parade.

Training of parade dogs is carried out on the basis of the Dog Training Center of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, located in Lviv Oblast, and on the basis of the Separate Commandant’s Office of Security and Support of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine in Kyiv.

The four-legged helpers work side by side with border guards to counter illegal activities on the state border and protect independence in the east of the country. Only this year, using service dogs there have been revealed and detained 142 offenders, more than 18 kg of drugs, 100 weapons, more than 2,500 rounds of ammunition, 3kg of explosives, and more than 200,000 packs of cigarettes.

Border patrol aircraft DA42 (Diamond DA42), which have state-of-the-art optronic equipment, joined today's festive parade.

This aircraft type has been in service with aviation units of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine since 2011 and is used to monitor the state border, the exclusive (maritime) economic zone and the land area. The pilots were led by Colonel Mykola Artemov, a pilot of the first class, a participant in combat operations in the east of the country.

Also, for the first time in the years of independence of Ukraine at the parade the newest samples of equipment, which is in service of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine and is used for the protection and defense of the state border were presented at the parade.

The first mechanized convoy included the equipment used by the combat units of the State Border Guard Service, which carries out tasks in the areas of operation of Joint Forces. The armored vehicles presented at the parade have repeatedly saved the lives of border guards during missions in areas of operation of the Joint Forces.

In addition, the second mechanized convoy at the parade includes the equipment that helps border guards to protect the state border of Ukraine in peaceful areas, and these are modern quad bikes, patrol cars and mobile thermal imaging systems.

At the same time, the equally important component of the State Border Guard Service – the Marine Guard – was represented at the parade in Odessa and Kyiv. Maritime border guards honorably perform their tasks. During Russia’s annexation of the Ukrainian Crimean Peninsula, the State Border Guard Service did not lose a single border ship. The ship and boat fleet stationed in Sevastopol and Kerch was withdrawn to Odessa, Berdiansk and Mariupil in time.