4th of March 2026
Press release
The Security 2.0 forum dedicated to critical infrastructure protection was held in Kyiv. The closing panel, “Critically Protected: Critical Dialogue”, had been organized in partnership with the Armada Association. That part of event brought together those who directly shape the system of protection for Ukraine’s critical infrastructure.
The discussion panel included:
- Yuriy Cherevashchenko, Commander of Unmanned Air Defence Systems — Deputy Commander of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
- Roman Khomukha, DeViRo — Ukrainian manufacturer of Leleka-100 and Bulava unmanned aerial vehicle systems.
- Artem Bilyk, Chief Specialist in Critical Infrastructure Protection at the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Candidate of Technical Sciences.
- Yaroslav Filimonov, CEO of Ukrainian defence tech company KVERTUS and head of the Radio-Electronic Alliance of Ukraine.
- Valerii Kocherga, Director of the Guard Joint Stock Company, which has been authorised by the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine to carry out air defence measures for critical infrastructure facilities.
- The panel was moderated by Vasyl Honcharuk, Chairman of the Armada Association.
Winter has been a serious test for Ukraine’s energy and critical infrastructure. It has revealed both the strengths and systemic barriers faced by government agencies, the military, manufacturers, and infrastructure operators.
The war is forcing the country to change faster than any reforms in peacetime. Decisions that were developed in the summer had to be tested in the autumn and implemented in the winter — under conditions of real attacks.
It is now clear that by the next critical period, autumn 2026, the country must significantly strengthen its capabilities to protect critical infrastructure. That is why the key outcome of the discussion was not only an assessment of the past winter, but also a common understanding of the directions for further work.
As noted by Vasyl Honcharuk, head of the Armada Association, an ecosystem of cooperation is currently being formed that brings together the state, the military, manufacturers, experts and the public sector, both in Ukraine and internationally.
Protecting critical infrastructure is no longer the sole responsibility of individual agencies. It is a joint effort involving the state, the technology sector, the military and society, which requires coordination, quick decisions and systematic capacity building.
At the same time, Ukraine’s experience is becoming increasingly important in the international context. Today, the world is facing security challenges that most countries were not prepared for. What other countries are only modelling in strategic documents, Ukraine is forced to test in real time.
That is why Ukraine’s experience in protecting critical infrastructure, countering air threats, and coordinating between the state, the military, and the technology sector is now attracting considerable interest from international partners. This is not only about supporting Ukraine, but also about sharing knowledge and practices that can shape a new security architecture in Europe.
In this process, professional platforms such as the Armada Association play an important role in shaping the environment for interaction between the state, the military, manufacturers, experts and international partners. After all, today Ukraine is not only protecting its critical infrastructure. It is shaping an experience that could determine future approaches to security far beyond the country’s borders.
Reference:
Armada is an industry association founded in April 2025. Today, it brings together about 100 companies to strengthen Ukraine’s defence capabilities, develop innovation, and form a comprehensive industry ecosystem in partnership with the state and international partners.
