As reported by Ukrinform, the press service of the Ministry of Defense reported that Ukrainian and foreign experts will work on innovative solutions that will help the Armed Forces gain a technological advantage over the enemy.

“We are the first country in the world to have to repulse the enemy in the 21st century in four areas simultaneously: on land, in the water, in the air, in cyberspace. Information and active aggression in cyberspace play a special role in the enemy’s strategy. Today, the entire cyber community, IT business and cyberspace “The coordination of the efforts of experts in combating threats, IPSO, etc. is more relevant than ever for Ukraine’s cyber defense and information sovereignty to be strong,” he said. Oleksiy Reznikov.

According to him, the creation of IT initiatives in the interests of the military, their integration with the needs of business and citizens is one of the priorities and will contribute to the construction of Ukraine’s own digital sovereignty with a focus on defense and security.

Oleksiy Danilov, Secretary of the National Security Council, said: “The cyber component of this war is no less important than the military one, it is a fundamentally important front. Therefore, the priority today is to effectively repel Russian aggression, both on the battlefield and in cyberspace. Uniting the efforts of cyber volunteers and the international community. We need innovative solutions that concern the military now and maximize the cyber defense of the state in the future. In the next five to ten years, cyber weapons will be world number one. And not only should we be ready for it, but one of the world leaders in sustainability in cyberspace. We should be one.”

Valery Zaluzhny, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, added that in terms of scale and nature, intensity of military operations, this war is comparable to the First and Second World Wars, but more complex as it took place. in the era of high technologies. “Conflict in cyberspace, the use of satellite communications and space intelligence, online information support, unmanned aerial vehicles – all these are the realities and challenges of our time. Ukraine has significant intellectual potential. And I hope events like the National Defense Hackathon will do the best from this to achieve our victory. It helps to take advantage of it.” Zaluzhnyi believes.

According to Mykhailo Verych, head of U.S. Civil Research and Development Fund’s operations in Ukraine, coordination of joint efforts remains a priority and an important prerequisite for successfully countering cyber threats. “Currently, Ukraine is supported by the entire democratic world. And this support should be seen not only as a helping hand, but also as an opportunity for the further development of cybersecurity in the country. Organizing the National Defense Hackathon will allow us to find innovative solutions necessary for our defenders and internationally. It will contribute to the deepening of cooperation with partners.” said.

For two days, hackathon participants will work on three types of tasks: technological, organizational and legal, and the fight against informational and psychological operations. They will develop solutions for the development of the military technology industry, which will strengthen the cyber defense of the state and help the Armed Forces in the fight against Russia.

During the hackathon, innovative Ukrainian projects in cybersecurity and defense will also be presented.

You can join the Hackathon as a team member or as a mentor or jury member – https://hackathon.mil.gov.ua/. The application deadline is October 15.

The National Defense Hackathon 2022 is organized by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense with the support of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Cyber ​​Security National Coordination Center, the US Civil Studies and the Center for Combating Disinformation with the support of the US Civil Studies and Civil Aviation Organization. Ukraine, the US State Department and the NATO Development Fund. NATO cyber experts and experts from friendly countries: Poland, Great Britain, USA, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and other EU countries are invited to the hackathon.