Mariupol is Putin’s blueprint for occupation, and the world is barely paying attention
18.05.2026
When Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Mariupol quickly became the site of…
With the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the national security and defense system of our state faced new unprecedented challenges that affected not only internal processes in Ukraine but also the course of global transformations.
The war marked the beginning of a new era in the world, for which many states—already exhausted by the Covid-19 pandemic—proved unprepared. Ukraine, however, encountered a new logic of counteraction processes of unprecedented intensity. Under these conditions, Ukrainian special services, in particular the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense (HUR), truly became innovators.
NEW CHALLENGES, NEW INTERACTIONS
Analysts from the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) state that Russian aggression against Ukraine has created threats for 81% of countries, and its consequences affect the development of the global economy.
The full-scale invasion significantly expanded the scope of professional activity of Ukrainian military intelligence, especially in information and analytical work, enhanced strategic intelligence capabilities, and improved data processing to better understand the economic, social, and industrial resilience of the aggressor state and the nature of its interaction with other countries.
For the HUR, cooperation with foreign intelligence services whose national interests have already suffered from Russian state imperialism became especially important. This enabled the organization of rapid deliveries of weapons and military equipment to Ukraine, as well as strikes against top military targets of the enemy. According to HUR chief Kyrylo Budanov: “The war of Putin’s regime threatens the entire democratic model of the world, just as Hitler’s existence once did.”
Since World War II, Europe has not seen such an extensive line of active combat—up to 1,500 km. Today, all of Europe feels this.
The full-scale war also generated significant demand for special operations in temporarily occupied territories, deep in the enemy’s rear, on the territory of the aggressor state, and in other parts of the world. This significantly expanded work in cyberspace and intelligence networks.
For the first time since Ukraine’s independence, HUR activities have been under close scrutiny by global media, analytical, and academic centers, as the experience of Ukrainian intelligence officers has become illustrative for intelligence services worldwide.
“2022 became a landmark year for military intelligence, as we strengthened our capabilities and achieved new ones. Military intelligence was prepared for a large-scale offensive to begin in early February or shortly thereafter.”
– notes Deputy Head of HUR Vadym Skibitskyi.
COMBAT SPECIAL OPERATIONS OF MILITARY INTELLIGENCE
One of the first tasks of HUR was the defense of Kyiv. Not exactly its profile, as using highly professional intelligence special forces as light infantry under any other circumstances would be obvious “waste.” But at that moment, the stakes were extremely high. The loss of Kyiv would have led to a massive collapse of the front and total demoralization of society and the army.
Thus, the vanguard of the Russian army encountered professional, motivated, well-armed, and trained units that literally clung to every meter of territory. At the same time, Russian forces were methodically cut off from logistical support. Delayed “caravans” with ammunition, new equipment, food, and reinforcements were destroyed far from the approaches to the Ukrainian capital.
At the same time, principles for creating regional resistance movements were tested for the first time. Units formed from local residents and coordinated by HUR representatives became one of the main threats, operating independently and deep in the rear. Their activities only intensified over time.
