The Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine in the system of entities protecting national interests in the information sphere

The article examines the activities of the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine in the context of ensuring national interests and information security of the state. In the third year of the full-scale, combined with a hybrid component, the war of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, the issue of information sovereignty becomes a critical element of the country’s overall security. Attention is focused on the role of the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine as a key body responsible for the formation and implementation of state policy in the fields of culture, information policy, and national heritage. The article analyzes the organizational and legal foundations of the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine, its functions and tasks. Special attention is paid to the legal and regulatory aspects of the functioning of the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine, its evolution, as well as interaction with other state authorities, in particular the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, the Security Service of Ukraine, and the National Council on Television and Radio Broadcasting. Since the Constitution of Ukraine does not provide for a specific department responsible for information security, the functions of the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine are regulated by secondary legislation and specific laws, such as the Law of Ukraine “On National Security of Ukraine” and the Law of Ukraine “On Media”. The study emphasizes that the Information Security Strategy of Ukraine, approved in 2021, defines key threats and tasks in the field of information sovereignty. It also lays the foundation for coordinated actions of all subjects of state policy in countering destructive informational influences. The significance of the Information Security Strategy as an important regulatory document defining the basics of protection against external and internal threats is outlined. The Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine, among other tasks, forms and publishes a list of persons who pose threats to national security. The problem of separation of powers in the field of information security is analyzed. At the same time, it is emphasized that information security remains one of the key priorities of national security, particularly in the context of countering disinformation and other negative informational influences. It is emphasized that strengthening cooperation between authorities and civil society is key to ensuring a stable information space and forming a favorable environment for the protection of Ukraine’s national interests. The results of the study are aimed at finding ways to increase the effectiveness of the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine in the context of countering modern threats and ensuring information sovereignty.