Voluntary formation of a territorial community: Mechanisms of state administration and financing

With the intensification of global security challenges, nation-states are increasingly confronted with the active emergence and development of paramilitary formations. For Ukraine, in the context of the Russo-Ukrainian war, this issue has acquired particular significance. The study aimed to analyse the organisation, functions, governance, financing of voluntary territorial community formations as paramilitary groups and determine the specific features of their operation and the consequences of their activities for society, including latent and non-evident effects. The study was based on an integrative review methodology combined with elements of the case study approach. The analysis highlighted globally relevant yet nationally specific forms of territorial paramilitary groups within modern nation-states. Based on theoretical frameworks and empirical data, including an examination of the activities of such groups in the United States, Ukraine, and Iraq, the study explored the benefits and challenges those voluntary paramilitary formations pose for national security. The findings demonstrated that strategies for addressing paramilitarism must cover both the positive and negative dimensions of this phenomenon, avoiding universal solutions. To determine the nature of any paramilitary group, it is necessary to develop clear criteria, threshold indicators, and assessment methodologies. While the state may derive potential benefits from self-organised citizen volunteers engaged in defence and security matters, the effective utilisation of this resource requires a clear legislative framework, transparent financing mechanisms for paramilitary formations, and a well-defined role for such groups within the national security system, including from a long-term perspective. The practical value of the study is determined by the development of an analytical foundation for assessing the overall role of voluntary territorial paramilitary formations within the security landscape of states operating under the dynamic conditions of hybrid war and hybrid peace