Sahaidachnyi Security Center – First Anniversary!

On October 3, we celebrated the first anniversary of the Sahaidachnyi Security Center – an analytical think tank established in response to Russia’s war against Ukraine. Over the past year, we have become recognized both in Ukraine and internationally, built an active professional community, and proven that even a small but focused team can shape the security and defense discourse.

Our work is driven by three core directions:
Analytics – producing substantive outputs that inform policies, decisions, and the international discourse about Ukraine.
Advocacy – amplifying Ukraine’s voice globally, building partnerships, and advancing ideas that strengthen security and defense.
Defense ecosystem development – supporting a professional community, implementing educational programs, and nurturing a new generation of security experts.

Key areas of focus: defense policy, institutional development in the security sector, war studies, and strategic international engagement.

Some facts and figures:
– 11 team members and 12 volunteers
– 198 community participants
– 3 proprietary educational programs with 100 trainees
– 10 analytical outputs focusing on: the future of Russia; civil society in defense; and Ukraine’s lessons for the EU’s White Paper on defense
– 22 advocacy missions involving Center experts in 13 countries, reaching over 6,400 participants
– 12 Center events engaging more than 2,000 participants in Ukraine and abroad
– 40+ partner organizations within Ukraine
– Over 30 media interactions throughout the year, with a total reach of more than 12 million. Our experts were featured in The Wall Street Journal (USA), Voice of America (USA), BBC World News (UK), Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (USA/international), DER STANDARD (Austria), Deutsche Welle (Germany), Table.Media (Germany), The Japan Times (Japan), and others. Ukrainian outlets included The Kyiv Independent, The Ukrainian Week, Ukrainska Pravda, and Liga.net.

The anniversary celebration brought together over 100 participants – representatives of the Armed Forces, veterans, civil society, government institutions, and all those working to strengthen Ukraine’s defense capabilities.

Presenting the annual report, the Center’s Director, Lesia Ogryzko, thanked the team, partners, and everyone who shares the values of the Sahaidachnyi Security Center. She emphasized that collaboration and community-building are the best path to development and the true strength of the future.

“We take pride in our network of over 40 partner organizations – it is our greatest asset. We sincerely believe that together we can do more: enhance security, create new meanings, and build a defense ecosystem that transforms our country and the world,” – Lesia Ogryzko emphasized.

The anniversary program included two panel discussions focused on key issues of defense and security.

Panel I: “Ukraine in the New European Security Architecture: From Consumer to Guarantor of Security”
Speakers:
– Tetiana Berezhna – Acting Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine.
– Alim Aliev – Deputy Director General of the Ukrainian Institute, Board Member of the International Renaissance Foundation and PEN Ukraine.
– Olena Davlikanova – Associate Senior Analyst at the Sahaidachnyi Security Center, Expert at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), and Program Director at the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in Ukraine.
– Oleg Shymanskyi – Deputy Minister for Veterans Affairs of Ukraine.
Moderator: Liubov Tsybulska – Founder and first head of the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security, Board Member of the International Renaissance Foundation and Director of the NGO “Stand with Ukraine.”

Panel II: “Preparing for the Next Aggression: PMCs, Technology, and the Mathematics of War”
Speakers:
– Andriy Zagorodnyuk – Chairman of the Center for Defense Strategies, 15th Minister of Defense of Ukraine (2019–2020)
– Oleksandr Yabchanka – Military and civic leader, former company commander of the “Honor” unit of the Da Vinci Wolves Battalion, currently with the Ministry of Defense Change Support Office
– Sergiy Koshman – Program Manager at Helsing (Germany), defense innovation expert, former Head of International Cooperation at the Brave1 Cluster
– Yaroslav Honchar – Head of the NGO “Aerorozvidka,” Reserve Lieutenant Colonel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, expert in technological warfare
Moderator: Vasyl Dubovyi – Ukrainian military officer, awarded the Order “For Courage” III class