Olesia Horiainova

Co-Founder and Deputy Head of the Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Centre (USCC), where she leads government relations and works on strategic communications and national security policy. Her expertise focuses on defence reform, recruiting, and mobilisation.

She has extensive experience advising senior government and security institutions. Her previous roles include Communications Adviser to the Minister of Health of Ukraine and Head of the Ministry’s Press Service, Adviser to the Director of the State Affairs Department of the President of Ukraine, Adviser to the Head of the Ivano-Frankivsk Regional State Administration, and Adviser on strategic communications to the Command of the Territorial Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

At USCC, she leads a flagship project focused on the development of Ukraine’s national recruiting system, implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, the General Staff of the Armed Forces, and NATO partner countries. The initiative aims to strengthen civilian engagement in national defence, modernise recruitment and mobilisation practices, and support reforms aligned with NATO standards.

She regularly provides expert commentary for Ukrainian and international media on recruiting, mobilisation, civil–military relations, and security sector transformation.