Engaging public formations in the operationalsearch activity of the state border guard service of Ukraine: current state and prospects

Abstract

The article examines the involvement of the local population in facilitating the operational-search activity carried out by the operational units of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine. It is substantiated that, in the context of armed aggression against Ukraine and the application of the legal regime of martial law, interaction between border guard units and the public acquires particular significance as an element of ensuring national security and protecting the state border. The regulatory and legal framework governing the participation of citizens and public formations in the protection of the state border is analyzed, including the provisions of Ukrainian laws and departmental instructions. It is established that the current legislation provides only general guidelines for such participation and does not ensure an effective mechanism for involving the public in the performance of operational-search tasks. Based on statistical data from the Administration of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, a trend toward a decrease in the number of active public formations in border regions has been identified. This trend is caused by mobilization processes, the occupation of certain territories, and the involvement of members of these formations in the defense forces. The existence of unrealized potential of public formations in the field of operational-search support for state border protection is substantiated. The classification of public formations participating in the protection of the state border has been further developed according to the nature of their tasks, areas of activity, composition, scope of powers, and forms of interaction with border guard units. Emphasis is placed on the expediency of institutionalizing the participation of local residents, veterans of the State Border Guard Service, and combatants in facilitating operational-search activity, as well as on the need to improve the system of moral and material incentives for such cooperation.