Conference on Ukraine: 1,600 soldiers on standby

The July 4 and 5 Conference on Ukraine will be a high security event.

Given the international tensions, the Federal Council have decided that it will compensate Ticino for a large part (80 percent) of the security costs by deploying as many as 1,600 soldiers on a complementary basis and by guaranteeing the security of the area

The decision was made earlier today and is deemed an "extraordinary". The

The event will be attended by high-level representatives from some 40 countries and 20 international member organizations

The overall direction of the task lies with the Ticino authorities, particularly the cantonal police, who will be able to enlist the support of the Federal Police Office fedpol, the Federal Department of Defense, the Federal Customs and Border Security Service (FCOB) and the Federal Intelligence Service to assess and adjust the security arrangements.

The Cantonal Police will be reinforced by federal and cantonal police intervention forces, military personnel and the Border Guard Corps. Besides the 1,600 soldiers provided, the executive has established a temporary restriction on the use of airspace that will be applied as necessary from July 1 to July 8 and will cover the Lugano region.