REFORMS IN THE NATIONAL SECURITY SECTOR: CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS FOR UKRAINE IN THE TIME OF WAR

The article examines the problem of preserving the information sovereignty of the state as a necessary condition for ensuring its national security. The concept of the apparatus of the research area is considered, the scientific interpretation of the terms "information security", "information war", "destructive propaganda", "information struggle" and others is given. It is noted that the protection of the information field of the country from external harmful influence is a fundamental task of the state, which belongs to the sphere of its national interests. And reforms in the national security sector are vitally necessary in the conditions of war with the Russian Federation. They conducted a retrospective analysis of the use of various strategies for optimizing national security. It is noted that the protection of the country’s information field from external harmful influence is a fundamental task of the state, which belongs to the sphere of its national interests. In Ukraine, certain experience has been accumulated in ensuring information security, legislative, organizational and institutional foundations of this process have been created. However, the activities of authorized structures are more focused on the protection of information systems and networks of strategic importance, while the issue of countering Russia’s ideological expansion remains on the periphery of their attention. The country’s authorities do not always conduct comprehensive, coordinated work to combat fakes and destructive propaganda, which poses a real danger to national interests. The article analyzes specific cases of the promotion of Russian propaganda narratives in the Ukrainian media segment. The vulnerability of Ukraine’s information security system is reflected and practical recommendations for their elimination are provided, which include the creation of an early warning system of information attacks, cyber sabotage, manipulative actions from the outside with a built-in mechanism for prompt response and purchase of similar threats; improvement of the relevant legislative framework and adoption of a holistic concept of information security of Ukraine; strengthening the potential of domestic mass media to counteract destructive propaganda.