Ensure Jokowi's Visit To Ukraine And Russia Is Safe, Paspampres Deploys 39 Personnel, Exercises On Trains To Highways

Illustration of the Presidential Security Forces (Paspampres) practicing efforts to rescue heads of state. (Between)

JAKARTA - The Presidential Security Forces (Paspampres) have prepared all the necessities to practice to ensure the safety of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) during a visit to a country that is being hit by the conflict, Ukraine and Moscow at the end of June.

President Jokowi is scheduled to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kiev and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

Jokowi's visit to show concern for humanitarian issues related to the war involving the two countries after attending the G7 Summit in Germany on 26-28 June 2022.

"From our own internal side, we have started several weeks of training until today. We are training related to what activities or events we should anticipate," said Commander of Paspampres (Danpaspampres) Major General TNI Tri Budi Utomo when contacted at Jakarta, Thursday 23 June.

The Danpaspampres then gave an example that technically his troops had practiced efforts to rescue President Jokowi when something unexpected happened, for example on trains, stations, and roads.

He said that his party was also preparing a rescue team that usually does not participate in some of the President's activities. The rescue team will wear TNI field service uniforms.

"However, for the main group (main group), we ourselves are still saving by covering him directly. Later, if the rescue team has their respective tasks, we have also prepared that," he said.

Tri said that overall his party prepared 39 personnel consisting of 10 personnel who were included in the rescue team, 19 main group personnel, and 10 advance team personnel who would be at the location first.

Paspampres has also prepared head protection or helmets and vests for the Head of State and the accompanying delegation while there, and will prepare special weapons for the protection of President Jokowi.