Public administration reforms under martial law in Ukraine: International experience of adapting to hybrid threats

Abstract

The aim of the study is to analyse the transformations of public administration in Ukraine in wartime under the influence of hybrid cyber threats, taking into account international experience in adapting public authorities to new challenges. The relevance of the study is determined by the surge in cyberattacks against public authorities in Ukraine in 2022-2023, which demonstrated the vulnerability of digital infrastructure and the limitations of interagency coordination. The research methodology is based on systemic and comparative legal approaches, typology of hybrid threats and political effects, and empirical analysis of cyberattacks in 2021-2023. Data visualisation tools and scenario analysis of specific incidents were used. The comparative analysis of international cyber defence models in the USA, Israel, Poland, Ukraine was used to verify the results. As a result, three types of new hybrid threats are identified. Moreover, the authors’ model of cascading instability is suggested which demonstrates how cyber threats can transform into political destabilisation. In addition, a classification of the political effects of cyberattacks is offered. International experience shows that effective cyber deterrence models are based on centralised coordination, public-private partnerships, and preventive threat management. The conclusions emphasise the need to rethink Ukraine’s cyber strategy from a technocratic document to an integrated component of public policy aimed at strengthening digital sovereignty, institutional resilience, and post-war recovery. © 2025, Gruppo editoriale Tab S.r.l. All rights reserved.