Journey to a war zone
In October 2022, the President of the Swiss Confederation, Ignazio Cassis, travelled to Ukraine. fedpol and its partners had little time to prepare the security measures for the war zone. Here again, the importance of cooperation in police work was clearly illustrated.
After the Ukraine Recovery Conference, a trip at the invitation of the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenksyy, was planned to take place in October. The Russian war of aggression was raging in the country and the capital Kyiv was under fire. There was not much time for planning the security measures for this unique visit to a war zone. fedpol faced a number of challenges. The aim was to provide security for the Federal President and his delegation. The means to do this involved close cooperation between fedpol, the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), army specialists and the Ukrainian security forces. The success of the security detail hinged on its absolutely secrecy in the run-up to the visit.
A formidable team to carry off a secret mission
Only a few people were informed. Leaking any information about the planned meeting with Volodymyr Zelenksyy to the public would increase the danger for all concerned. The group of people involved had to remain small but at the same time a strong team was needed. fedpol knew that without partners it would not be able to accomplish its mission.
Security mandate abroad
When senior members of government travel abroad, fedpol works with the Federal Intelligence Service (FIS) to analyse the situation and coordinates arrangements with the security forces of the host country based on its threat assessment. The decision to go ahead with a trip always lies with the department concerned.
Since the President of the Confederation is a protected person under international law, responsibility for the security of the Swiss delegation lies primarily with the authorities of the host country. The protective measures taken by the Swiss security forces supplement the security precautions taken by the host country.
This particular trip was not comparable to other state visits. War does not allow for sticking to a plan; a range of scenarios had to be considered. The delegation would be assisted by Ukrainian security forces. A unit of special forces from Armed Forces Reconnaissance Detachment 10 had already been in the country for several months to protect the Swiss representation, which was still in Kyiv. This professional unit is highly experienced and has the expertise and training for operations in war zones. It provided fedpol with additional support in its security mandate abroad. The teams were all on the same page and complemented each other well. Working with the FDFA and its Crisis Management Centre (CMC), information was exchanged, schedules discussed and routes planned. As the trip approached, fedpol police officers flew to Poland to make the final arrangements.
Last-minute cancellation
Then, a few hours before the trip, we were thrown a curveball: German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who was planning a visit to the war zone at the same time, postponed his trip. Why the withdrawal? Was there an increased risk? Did this create repercussions for our mission? A well-maintained network of contacts with the security group of the Federal Criminal Police Office in Germany paid off. It soon became clear that Switzerland’s initial plans could move ahead unchanged, giving us the green light.
On the night of 20 October 2022, the delegation led by President Cassis travelled by train from Poland to Ukraine, accompanied by a detail of fedpol officers. At fedpol headquarters, every journey is closely monitored. fedpol exchanged regular reports with its partners from the FDFA, the CMC and the DDPS. There were no incidents. The delegation headed back the same evening. As soon as they crossed the Polish border, there was great relief for all concerned, apart from the FDFA and fedpol press officers: they now had to report on the Swiss President’s unexpected trip to a war zone.