Ukraine Strengthens Its Forces to Counter Potential Aggression from Russia

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed Laws No. 5557 “On the Foundations of National Resistance” and No. 5558 on increasing the strength of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which were adopted by Members of Parliament on July 16, 2021.

The adoption of these laws became a logical continuation of the implementation of the comprehensive defense concept signed by the President of Ukraine in March 2021. Its implementation envisaged, among other things, the creation of a national resistance system — territorial defense forces and a resistance movement to operate in occupied territories, as well as universal military training for all Ukrainians.

Why national resistance is crucial for Ukraine today: exclusive comments from military leadership and experts in support of the Law “On National Resistance”

Kyrylo Budanov — Head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Colonel

“Russian aggression continues, and we must act quickly and decisively. The implementation of comprehensive defense will help Ukraine avoid a repetition of the 2014 scenario in the future. Each region will have strong units capable of resistance. While the regular army is mobilizing, critical infrastructure facilities will be protected. The enemy will face resistance the moment they set foot on our land.

Today, Ukraine needs the Law on National Resistance to protect the independence of our state.”

Hryhorii Halahan — Commander of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Major General

“We are facing a treacherous and highly cunning enemy — the forms, methods, and means used by the Russian Federation are constantly changing. Has the threat disappeared? Absolutely not. Look at the recent statement by Sergei Shoigu, Russia’s Minister of Defense, regarding the creation of twenty new military formations near Ukraine’s borders. Of course, this requires a response.

We speak about historical experience — about how the UPA operated, about the defenders of Kholodnyi Yar who in the 1920s used resistance methods against regular armies. We recall 2014, when the majority of Ukrainian citizens stood up to defend the state. However, at that time, neither territorial defense, nor the resistance movement, nor population training for defense were legally regulated.

As for the resistance movement, over the past year we have held several strategic seminars with NATO partner countries. A video conference was conducted with the Joint Special Operations University, where we worked through the concept of employing Special Operations Forces specifically in the context of resistance. That is why the adoption of the Law on National Resistance is extremely important.”

Anatolii Barhylevych — Major General of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Commander of the Territorial Defense Forces

“When developing the draft law, we took into account the experience of leading countries in building national security systems and their components, with maximum use of the resources available to each state. In addition, we studied the experience of our closest neighbors who have made comprehensive defense the foundation of their national security concepts — primarily the Baltic states, the Republic of Poland, and Finland.

We also have our own combat experience in forming and employing territorial defense units — all of these approaches are reflected in the draft law. The Law on the Foundations of National Resistance represents a consistent development of Ukraine’s national security system and its component — military security — as well as its key directions: deterrence, resilience, and interoperability. Therefore, this law is important both for the Armed Forces and for the national security of the state as a whole.

An essential component is the preparation of the population for defense as part of the national resistance movement. This will enable a rational approach to defending one’s country, land, and home — which is the very motto of territorial defense.”

Serhii Kuzan — Chairman of the Ukrainian Center for Security and Cooperation, coordinator of the volunteer network supporting the Ukrainian military since 2014

“Eight years of ongoing Russian aggression have allowed us to assess the real defense capabilities of our country and have confirmed that building comprehensive defense is the only viable option. The national resistance system will not only help protect Ukraine from a new wave of Russian aggression but will also enable Ukraine to become a confident member of the Euro-Atlantic community in the future.

That is why establishing new channels of communication and dialogue platforms with Western partners, organizing visits to Ukraine — especially to the contact line in the east — is critically important. Our center will actively support this process.”