The Coordination Group of the SBU Anti-Terrorist Center in Odesa region held special exercise as part of the Sea Breeze-2021 train.

The exercise took place in the south of Odesa region, and the aim was to practice anti-terrorist operations by the consolidated Anti-Sabotage group. This is a specially created unit for the "Sea Breeze-2021" international exercise.

According to the exercise script, the simulated sabotage groups attempted to carry out terrorist attacks on critical infrastructure in the city of Izmail.

They seized the facility and put up armed resistance during the Marine Corps landing operation on the banks of the Danube River. Initially, the simulated saboteurs were blocked by the Ukrainian Army special operations forces, and then they were neutralized by the Ukrainian Army special unit.

At the same time, another group of simulated saboteurs took hostage workers of the port of Izmail and barricaded themselves in one of the port’s buildings.

The anti-terrorist operation to release the simulated hostages took place in several stages: the active phase followed the negotiations.

The SBU CSO “A” assault groups neutralized the saboteurs and rescued the hostages.

Another group of simulated armed terrorists, who barricaded themselves in a railway carriage and shielded themselves with hostages, were neutralized by operatives of the National Police special unit “Cord”.

Two more groups of saboteurs, according to the exercise script, attempted to illegally cross the Ukrainian state border across the Danube River and break through one of the international checkpoints. 

The involved units worked out the algorithm of interdepartmental interaction in near real conditions, including at night and in severe weather conditions.

Among the participants of the exercise were the SBU units, the Naval Forces of the Ukrainian Army, the State Border Guard Service, the National Police, the State Emergency Service, the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard, as well as consolidated Anti-Sabotage group and local authorities.

The Coordination Group carefully analyzed all stages of the special operation, noting the efficiency of the exercise participants.

Following the exercise, the Coordination Group developed recommendations to improve the algorithm of actions of units involved in anti-terror activities.