National Security Drivers of Ukraine: Information Technology, Strategic Communication, and Legitimacy

This volume presents the key informational, communication, and socio-political drivers of the Ukrainian state's national security. Since the beginning of the third millennium, there has been an aggravation of global inter-civilizational confrontations, which in 2022 has already resulted in an open military aggression against Ukraine. The hybrid wars against the world of democracy have put ensuring the national security of states on the front pages of world and national agendas.

Using the example of Ukraine, the book demonstrates how, in order to achieve their geopolitical interests, authoritarian regimes incite information wars as a prerequisite for the transition to an armed "hot" war. It further shows how these processes actualize the formation of a fundamentally new state policy to ensure information and, more broadly, national security. The book identifies the main threats to national security in modern states and identifies ways of protecting Ukraine's national interests.

The book will appeal to scholars, students, and researchers of political science, international relations, social sciences, and neighboring disciplines, as well as practitioners and policy-makers interested in a better understanding of national security drivers and protecting national interests.

Oleksandr Radchenko is a Professor at the Institute of Social Sciences, University of Gdańsk (Poland). Previously, he worked as a chief researcher at the Bohdan Khmelnytskyi National Academy of the State Border Service of Ukraine. His research focuses on democratic values, socio-political communications and national security of modern states.

Valeriia Kovach is a Leading Researcher at the Institute of Environmental Geochemistry of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and an Associate Professor at the Interregional Academy of Personal Management, Kyiv (Ukraine). Her research interest is on national security, environmental health and safety, digital transformation process in different branches of economy in Ukraine, and the practical aspects of implementing innovations into scientific and educational activities.

Inna Semenets-Orlova is a Professor at the Interregional Academy of Personnel Management, Kyiv (Ukraine).Previously, she worked as an Assistant Professor at the National Academy of Public Administration in Kyiv. Her research focuses on public security, political modernization, democratic transformation, development of civic competence, as well as theory and practice of reforms in the context of modern Ukraine.

Artur Zaporozhets is a Leading Researcher at the General Energy Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. His research focuses on statistical analysis, big data, control & optimization, energy informatics, and energy security. He authored several books on these topics. Zaporozhets is actively engaged in a number of NGOs, public policy groups and in municipal politics.