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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Comrade officers,

Let me congratulate the service personnel and veterans of the Border Guard Service of Russia’s Federal Security Service on their professional holiday, Border Guards Day.

Today, we are honouring those for whom the protection of the Motherland’s borders has become not just a profession but also a calling and life’s work, those who defended and continue to defend Russia’s territorial integrity and security as well as the peace and calm of our citizens.

Throughout all times and historical epochs, the border guards, the guardians of the Russian borders, were distinguished by special qualities and primarily by courage and fortitude. They were the first to face an aggressor’s attack; they fearlessly engaged superior enemy forces in battle and fought for the Motherland to the last drop of blood.

On this day, we address our warmest words of gratitude to the veterans of the border services. The people of Russia revere the feat of valour committed by the heroes of 1941, who launched a fight against the Nazis on our country’s borders from the Barents to the Black sea.

We remember the courage of the border guards who were defending the Caucasus mountain passes and kept combat watch at the Far Eastern border outposts.

Officers and men from border guard detachments withstood with honour the difficult trials in the post-war period and were paragons of military valour in the Afghan campaign as well as in other hot spots.

Comrade officers,

Special demands are being placed on the border service today. Russia has the world’s longest borders and your task is to reliably protect them along the entire perimeter.

You must resolutely cut short all attempts to infiltrate our territory undertaken by international terrorists, smugglers, or transnational criminal groups, identify and eliminate channels for drug trafficking and illegal migration, and actively use for this purpose the entire available potential, including mobile action units and special forces.

It is important to develop border infrastructure and master next generation equipment that can increase border protection efficiency many times over.

Simultaneously, the work must continue to create comfortable border crossing conditions for law-abiding citizens at border checkpoints and facilitate the development of integration processes, as well as economic and humanitarian ties in the Eurasian space.

I am confident that you are well aware of the scale of tasks set, will do everything necessary to address them, and will serve Russia with honour.

I would like to thank the servicemen and civilian employees of the FSB Border Guard Service for the conscientious performance of their duties.

I wish you good health and every success, and all the best to your loved ones.