At the initiative and with the assistance of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the United States, representatives of the Ministry of Defense and the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine are participating in the annual Cyber Flag 21 cyber exercise for the first time in history. The Office of the President, as well as representatives of the embassies of the two countries were involved in the organization and preparation of the event.
The exercises are held on November 18-19 on the online platform Persistent Cyber Training Environment (PCTE), which is under the operational control of the US Army and allows for remote training with individuals, groups or missions.
Cybersecurity experts in Ukraine's security and defense sector are taking part in the event of such level for the first time in history, which is also one of the steps towards Ukraine's accession to the international community within the Cyber Flag. It is a US initiative to build a community of allies and partners to improve the ability to detect, synchronize and jointly respond to simulated malicious actions in cyberspace targeting critical infrastructure and key resources.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy pays considerable attention to cybersecurity, as this issue is becoming increasingly important in the context of rapid development and comprehensive penetration of information technologies in all spheres of public life. In August this year, the President signed Decrees № 447/2021 and № 446/2021, which approved the Cyber Security Strategy of Ukraine and the decision to establish cyber troops in the Ministry of Defense, respectively.
With the growing level of asymmetric, hybrid, in particular cyber threats, as well as their cross-border nature, the participation of domestic experts in Cyber Flag 21 reflects the intention not only to join the best world practices, but also to contribute to cybersecurity. In addition, participation in the event is another step towards the Euro-Atlantic integration of our country, enshrined in the Constitution.