Symbol and a test: what was behind the Border Guard Service's festive video
On the evening of December 30, the State Border Guard Service published a video in which "Santa Claus" crossed the western border in an Iveco Trakker truck. When a border guard asked what he was carrying, he replied "gifts", adding that they were intended not only for children. Behind the bright packages in the frame the body of a rocket is visible with the inscription "Security Guarantees", tied with a red ribbon. Despite this, the scanner did not detect any dangerous items and the truck was allowed through.
What this means
On one hand, it is a powerful symbolic gesture: the combination of festive imagery and the caption about "security guarantees" reads as a message to both the domestic audience and international partners about a desire for stability. On the other hand, the fact that a mock munition passed through control raises concrete technical questions about procedures and equipment at checkpoints. Without emotion: public communication must be distinguished from operational reliability.
"Happy New Year 2026"
— State Border Guard Service of Ukraine
Between symbol and procedure
Border security analysts and logistics experts point to the double effect of such actions: they boost morale and draw attention to security issues, but at the same time can reveal weak points in control. The key question for responsible agencies is whether this was planned PR content with agreed security measures, or an unplanned failure of scanners and procedures.
"Gifts... not only for children"
— voice from the video
Conclusion
The border incident is not just hashtags and emotions, but a concrete challenge for the Border Guard Service and the Ministry of Internal Affairs: to audit equipment, explain the results of checks to the public, and clearly separate symbolic messages from real security guarantees. For society, two questions remain: will these messages be backed up by real actions — and how to improve trust in border control.
