Zelenskyy approves new concept for countering terrorism in Ukraine
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has enacted the decision of the National Security and Defence Council of 6 April 2026 "On the Concept for Countering Terrorism in Ukraine".
This is stated in Decree No. 492/2026 of 11 June, Censor.NET informs.
The previous document, approved in March 2019, was declared no longer valid, as it did not reflect the current scale of Russian threats.
Russia as a terrorist state at the legislative level
The approved Concept states that Russia is the key source of an external terrorist threat. The document places counteraction to Russian crimes within the framework of national security standards.
"The terrorist threat to Ukraine’s national interests manifests itself in various forms, but the greatest threat is posed by the terrorist activities of the armed formations of the Russian Federation. Along with the use of military force, terrorist acts are being committed, aimed, in particular, against the civilian population, critical infrastructure facilities and supply chains, components of the forces and means of the security and defence sector, the law enforcement system, their personnel and staff," the document says.
In addition, the updated strategy takes into account modern global trends and threats from international terrorist networks. The following new challenges are highlighted separately:
- Cyberterrorism: targeted hacker attacks on state registers and digital management systems.
- Technological threats: the aggressor’s use of advanced developments in the aviation sector to commit terrorist acts.
- Involvement of minors in terrorist and subversive activities via the internet.
Internal threats
Internal threats include the presence of a large number of critical infrastructure facilities in the state, the location of critical infrastructure facilities and supply chains in territories where hostilities are taking place and in territories temporarily occupied by Russia, the spread of disinformation and destructive propaganda, and the growing level of crime related to the illegal trafficking of firearms, ammunition, explosives, and poisonous substances.
The implementation of the Concept will be based on the norms of international law, which will facilitate the further prosecution of Russian war criminals in international tribunals.
