From 20 to 22 May, a specialised 3-day anti-corruption training was organised in Kyiv by the EU4IBM-Resilience Project, implemented by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) and funded by the EU. Designed specifically for corruption prevention units’ officers of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (SBGS) from all over Ukraine, the event aimed to enhance their ability to identify, prevent and manage corruption within border management operations effectively.
In Ukraine’s current wartime environment, where institutional resilience is constantly tested, the ability of SBGS to uphold integrity is critical. Corruption, particularly in high-risk areas such as border control, public procurement, and access to sensitive information, undermines public trust and operational security. This training addressed those vulnerabilities head-on, offering structured engagement through expert input and peer collaboration.
The training started with presentations from the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine on corruption risks caused by inadequate price controls in public procurement, the National Agency for Corruption Prevention on integrity issues, and the Centre for Integrity in the Defence Sector (CIDS) of the Norwegian Ministry of Defence on procurement risks typology and detection methods. By covering the legal and procedural framework, the first day laid the groundwork for further discussions on practical aspects.
Day 2 was organized in the form of a facilitated discussion titled “Fighting Corruption: from Limitations to Opportunities”, which involved six rotating discussion groups. The applied World Café methodology promoted a platform for a reflection on selected corruption risks with the aim of identifying actual cases of corruption that are being encountered, brainstorming on practical response measures provided no legal, financial, procedural, bureaucratic or any other formal limitations are in place, and developing a detailed action plan of preventive measures for each of the discussed risks.
The SBGS Officers analysed real corruption risks – including the provision of smuggling routes by guards, re-sale of seized contraband by intelligence officers, and systemic tolerance for convenience payments at checkpoints – and drafted preventive measures from scratch. Their action plans included the rotation of staff, random integrity testing, use of body cameras, clear rules for handling informants, and proactive whistleblower protection.
“This training allowed participants not only to hear what good practices are but also to reflect on their own institutions and propose realistic, tailored approaches,” said Tetiana Danyliv, EU4IBM-Resilience Project expert and speaker of the event. “We saw a clear understanding that anti-corruption measures are not one-off actions but a system that must be embedded into everyday operations, a system based on innovative and creative thinking, as there are no solutions carved in stone.”
Further thematic sessions of the Day 3 explored best practices across the EU, such as anti-corruption inspections in public procurement, auditing of database access, introducing KPIs to measure the success of reforms. The exploration helped further supplement earlier SBGS participants’ proposals with measures based on existing practices in the EU MSs. A major focus was the prevention of subcultures that shield misconduct within border posts. The solutions ranged from more diverse recruitment to fostering open feedback from officers and the public alike.
“The SBGS officers are on the frontline, safeguarding national security in extraordinary circumstances,” said Vyacheslav Toporov, EU4IBM-Resilience Project Manager. “This training directly supports them in reinforcing internal integrity systems and adopting international best practices. Strengthening internal anti-corruption capacities not only secures the border but also reinforces public trust, which is vital for Ukraine’s path toward EU integration.”
Officers concluded the event with deeper insights into identifying corruption risks and practical methods for reinforcing their unit’s oversight mechanisms. Reflecting on the event, one SBGS officer noted, “This was one of the most practical trainings I’ve attended. We discussed real-life situations we encounter daily, and now I feel better equipped to handle these challenges.” Another participant remarked, “Open dialogue with colleagues and experts helped us realise we share common problems and can develop unified solutions.”
This initiative is part of the broader EU support strategy aligned with Ukraine’s Integrated Border Management objectives. EU4IBM-Resilience Project will support SBGS in the development of the next Anti-Corruption Programme, provide relevant training, including in communication, and pilot a corruption prevention solution based on technical means and associated procedures. The project will also conduct a public opinion survey on travellers’ corruption-related experiences. The findings of the opinion survey will help collect the baseline data for one of the KPIs to be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the SBGS Anti-Corruption Programme, but will also contribute to shaping the communication campaign to support SBGS’ anti-corruption efforts, by defining target profiles, tailoring relevant messages, and defining communication channels. All the planned interventions are paralleled with the ongoing advisory expert support to ensure the practical application of EU practices that proved to be effective.
