The importance of this study is due to the need for reconstruction of the process of establishment of national security and intelligence bodies in the course of formation of Ukrainian statehood in 1917-1918. The work was aimed at determining the historical prerequisites, organisational structure, functions and effectiveness of the first special security and intelligence bodies of the Ukrainian People’s Republic. The source base comprised published scholarly works, normative acts of the period, and the memoir legacy of participants in the events, processed using historical-genetic, historical-systemic, retrospective, and biographical methods, with the application of critical analysis and cross-referencing of sources. It has been established that the initial attempts to institutionalise the security sector were situational in nature and were implemented through temporary structures – the Special Committee for the Protection of the Revolution and the Regional Committee for the Protection of the Revolution in Ukraine, which were engaged in countering political crises, armed insurrections, and external intervention. The formation of intelligence structures under the General Staff is traced, specifically the establishment of an intelligence sub-unit in March 1918 and its reorganisation into a department of the First Quartermaster General’s Office under the leadership of V.V. Kolosovskyi. An analysis of the interaction between Ukrainian services and the intelligence agencies of Germany and Austria-Hungary, which did not acquire a character of parity, has been conducted. The determining factors behind the incapacity of the security organs have been identified. These factors are defined as a lack of professional cadres, insufficient funding, internal political contradictions, and the leadership’s distrust of the special services. The dominance of socialist orientations and delays in building security institutions, along with the involvement of the special services in the internal political struggle, particularly in the case of banker A. Dobryi, preceded the armed dissolution of the government in the spring of 1918. It is substantiated that the absence of capable intelligence and counter-intelligence was one of the factors in the fall of the Central Rada. The practical significance of the work lies in the fact that the systematised factual material and the established chronology of the security sector’s formation during the period of the Ukrainian People’s Republic’s establishment can be used for the preparation of synthetic works on the history of national special services
The purpose of the study was to determine the consequences of energy market destabilisation after 2022 for the processes of autonomy of infrastructure in Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. The methodology of the research covered the use of retrospective, content and analytical, structural and functional, and prospective analysis. Methods of comparative statistics, time series analysis, case studies, and cross-analysis were also used. It was established that the introduction of short-term fiscal instruments, in particular the establishment of price thresholds at the level of 12 cents in Estonia, the introduction of a system covering 50% of the cost of heating over the limit of EUR 68 per resource unit in Latvia, and the allocation of more than EUR 570 million for subsidies in Lithuania, helped to maintain internal stability. The results confirmed the complete rejection of imports via eastern pipelines, which led to reduction of inflation rates from 24% to below 3%. The achievement of full physical autonomy of the region through successful desynchronisation from the electric ring system (Belarus, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania) and integration into the European network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity, which technically completed the process of getting out of the external infrastructure influence, was substantiated. The study revealed a radical increase in the role of private producers which independently generate a resource, and the active construction of offshore wind parks, which already meet a third of the region’s needs. It was determined that the purchase of a strategic vessel for receiving liquefied fuel in state ownership at the end of 2024 provided the system with the necessary margin of safety. It was confirmed that the level of filling of underground storage facilities has reached a record 98%, creating a reliable buffer against hybrid threats. The success of implementing intelligent network management systems has been proven, which reduced the number of emergency outages by 15% in 2024 compared to pre-crisis 2021. The analysis recorded the establishment of a new hydrogen corridor that turns the region into a supplier of clean energy for neighbouring states. The data obtained indicate a transformation from a vulnerable periphery to a centre of stability. The practical significance of the study lies in the possibility of using its results by state governments and institutions of the European Union to develop strategies for energy sovereignty and protect critical infrastructure from hybrid threats
The purpose of the study was to determine the areas of transformation of Poland’s foreign policy and security approaches after 2022. The study used structural, functional, content and quantitative analysis, which allowed summarising the data of official documents, and scientific and analytical publications on the dynamics of threats and modernisation of the defence sector. The analysis showed that after 2022, Poland has implemented a systematic build-up of its defence potential, increasing military spending from USD 18.1 billion up to USD 38 billion in 2022, increasing its share of gross domestic product to 4.2%. It was established that the renewal of the regulatory framework and the creation of a fund to support the Armed Forces provided institutional conditions for financing large-scale weapons programmes. As part of the upgrade, key purchases were identified, including the purchase of 366 Abrams and 360 K2 tanks, 364 K9/K9PL self-propelled artillery guns (SPG), 48 AHS Krab, Patriot and Narew systems, and the expansion of missile capabilities through HIMARS and K239 Chunmoo. The results showed that these investments formed a multidimensional structure of defensive capabilities, able to insure increased mobility, depth of fire, and resistance to modern threats. It was established that Poland has strengthened its role in the decision-making process of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, in particular, by participating in the development of regional defence plans and supporting the transition of the alliance to the model of advanced defence and expanding the new model of the Armed Forces of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to more than 300 thousand high-alert military personnel. It was revealed that Poland has become a key logistics hub on the eastern flank, which is confirmed by the development of the APS-2 infrastructure in Powidz and the expansion of Host Nation Support mechanisms. The study showed that the country simultaneously strengthened its position in the European Union by promoting the implementation of Strategic Compass, Military Mobility 2.0 and expanding defence cooperation tools, in particular, in the areas of sanctions policy and the defence industry. It was also determined that the Bucharest Nine and Lublin Triangle formats have become key platforms for coordinating regional positions, developing joint threat assessments, and coordinating practical measures, including joint counter-disinformation initiatives
The research relevance is determined by the transformation of the structure of international trade as a result of the United States sanctions policy towards China, accompanied by the relocation of production, risks of fragmentation of global supply chains, and the need to determine its consequences for the stability of the world economy and the balance of power. The study aimed to determine how the US sanctions policy towards China is changing the structure of international trade flows and affecting the stability of global supply chains. To achieve this goal, the following methods were used: theoretical analysis of the factors shaping the sanctions policy; a comparative analysis using the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index calculated for China, Mexico, Canada, Japan, Germany and South Korea; and a SWOT analysis of the implementation of sanctions restrictions on the economy of the People’s Republic of China and the architecture of international trade. The study identified key factors in the introduction and intensification of sanctions pressure on China by the United States: technological and economic competition, national security considerations and defence risks, human rights violations and humanitarian issues, as well as geopolitical rivalry between countries. A comparative analysis of the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index showed that the introduction of US sanctions led to a decrease in the concentration of bilateral trade between the United States and China, with a simultaneous increase in the role of third countries, mainly Mexico. The study determined that although increased sanctions pressure limits China’s access to technology and slows down its expansion in the global market, it also motivates the search for ways to achieve technological self-sufficiency and geographical diversification of supply chains. The results of the study can be used to determine the impact of economic sanctions on all participants in the process and to find alternative ways to effective international cooperation and sustainable development
The aim of the study was to develop an integrated analytical model of India’s positioning within global supply chains for technology and pharmaceutical products. The methodology was based on a combination of structural analysis of official statistics, analysis of regulatory documents, and a comparative analysis of international economic security initiatives. The results showed that in the technology sector, India demonstrated a marked asymmetry between high growth rates in exports of information and communication services and only moderate progress in the production of high-tech components. An analysis of official data revealed that software exports reached approximately USD 162 billion in 2023, whilst the manufacturing segment remained predominantly focused on the assembly of mobile devices. A comparative analysis of foreign policy initiatives demonstrated that new forms of partnership, particularly with Japan and the US, created favourable conditions for technology transfer, but did not eliminate internal structural constraints linked to a shortage of skilled personnel and a lack of specialised infrastructure. In the pharmaceutical sector, statistical analysis confirmed the expansion of India’s role as a leading manufacturer of generic drugs. Scenario modelling showed that even under conditions of maximum stimulation, dependence on imports of active ingredients could only be reduced to 40-45% by 2030, confirming the persistence of medium-term structural constraints. The study also highlighted the need for a long-term balance between the economic efficiency of imports and strategic sustainability requirements. The practical significance of the study lies in the development of analytical guidelines for government institutions, international organisations and industry associations interested in enhancing the stability of global supply chains
The relevance of the study is determined by the need for a comprehensive understanding of the consequences of the reorientation of Russian energy exports to Asia under the pressure of sanctions amid the transformation of global energy markets. The aim of the study was to identify the extent of compensatory potential of the Asian vector of Russian energy exports in relation to the loss of European premium markets and the long-term geo-economic risks for Russia. The methodological basis of the study was based on an interdisciplinary analytical approach that combined methods of structural-institutional and comparative analysis, as well as the application of SWOT analysis. As a result, it was found that Asian markets provided only partial compensation for physical export volumes, but did not restore the level of budget revenues characteristic of the European direction. It was found that the established system of Asian reorientation was accompanied by a persistent discount to global benchmarks, which undermined the profitability of Russian supplies. It was found that China and India occupied dominant negotiating positions, using monopsony mechanisms of pricing and political control over import volumes. It was proven that logistical and infrastructural constraints, in particular the lack of storage and regasification capacity for liquefied natural gas and dependence on the “shadow fleet”, reduce the effectiveness of adaptation. It has also been established that structural changes in exports have created a new configuration of long-term risks for the Russian Federation related to technological vulnerability, transport barriers and the instability of Asian demand. It was concluded that the Asian reorientation did not provide strategic compensation for the loss of European markets and led to increased economic and political dependence on a limited circle of importers. The practical significance of the study lies in its potential use for assessing the sustainability of trade strategies under sanctions and for forecasting long-term energy policy risks at the global level
