Posted by: Laura Smiley, U.S. Department of Energy
A Representative of Ukraine’s Border Guard, General Karas (right) greets DCM Bruce Donahue (2nd from left) as well as DOE Staff Kateryna Kamchatna (left) and Arina Kovalenko (3rd from left)
The U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Second Line of Defense (SLD) program marked another milestone in Ukraine on October 30, 2013. A radioactive portal monitoring system was installed by SLD at Zhulyani International Airport – the second busiest airport in Ukraine, and key participants from NNSA, the U.S. Embassy, the Ukrainian Border Guards, and the Airport Administration came together to celebrate the new equipment with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
General Karas speaks while DCM Donahue, SLD Country Manager Andrew Vogt , and DOE Program Coordinator Arina Kovalenko stand by
The ceremony, which was held in the beautiful, new Terminal A building at Zhulyani, was attended by U.S. Embassy Kyiv’s Deputy Chief of Mission, Bruce Donahue, the Ukraine Border Guard Service First Deputy Director of the International Legal Department, General Volodymyr Karas, NNSA Ukraine SLD manager, Andrew Vogt, DOE Kyiv staff, and many others.
General Karas and Bruce Donahue gave speeches complimenting NNSA on more than 50 successful installations of SLD equipment, the latest of which was the system of portal monitors at Zhulyani. DCM Donahue also pointed out that the SLD program was responsible for equipping regional training centers in Ukraine.
General Karas and DCM Donahue cut the ribbon on the SLD installation in the new international terminal at Zhulyani Airport in Kyiv
Together, DCM Donahue and General Karas cut the ribbon surrounding the portal monitors for the terminal. The Border Guard then demonstrated the system when that first “traveler” crossed the threshold of the airport with a radiological source in his bag. While lights flashed and alarms blared, the Border Guards detained the actor and demonstrated the effectiveness of both the monitors and the hand-held devices.
The Border Guard detains a “suspect” after the system alarms
New Portal Monitors at Zhulyani International Airport
This ribbon-cutting event served to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Cooperative Threat Reduction program in Ukraine, signed on October 23, 1993. The SLD program has been implemented under the CTR Umbrella Agreement since 2005.
During the event DCM Bruce Donahue recognized the most recent accomplishments in the cooperative effort in combating the threat of nuclear proliferation and nuclear terrorism and congratulated everyone on the success of this challenging task. The Border Guard presented the U.S. personnel and Airport Administration with plaques honoring their contributions to the success of border security in Ukraine.
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