INTERACTION BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AND THE SECURITY AND DEFENSE SECTOR OF UKRAINE: FEATURES OF CONTEMPORARY PRACTICE

Abstract

Introduction. In the context of the full-scale armed aggression against Ukraine, issues of ensuring national security have acquired particular significance. Effective responses to contemporary threats require proper coordination of the activities of law enforcement agencies and entities of Ukraine’s security and defense sector. Modern security challenges are characterized by their complexity and multidimensional nature, necessitating close interagency cooperation in carrying out tasks related to the protection of state sovereignty, territorial integrity, constitutional order, and public security. Particular attention is given to information exchange, joint security planning, documentation of war crimes, counteraction to sabotage activities and cyber threats, as well as other encroachments on national security. Under such conditions, improving mechanisms of interaction between law enforcement agencies and security and defense sector entities remains one of the priority areas for the development of Ukraine’s national security system.

Purpose. The purpose of this study is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the legal and organizational foundations of interaction between law enforcement agencies and entities of Ukraine’s security and defense sector, to examine the peculiarities of such interaction under martial law, to summarize current interagency cooperation practices, and to identify prospects for improving relevant mechanisms of national security provision.

Materials and Methods. The research materials include: (1) the Constitution of Ukraine, the Law of Ukraine “On National Security of Ukraine,” the Law of Ukraine “On Operational and Investigative Activities,” the Law of Ukraine “On the National Police,” the Law of Ukraine “On the Security Service of Ukraine,” and other regulatory legal acts governing the activities of security and defense sector entities; (2) scientific works of Ukrainian and foreign scholars on national security, law enforcement activities, and interagency cooperation; and (3) materials reflecting the practical activities of law enforcement agencies and the security and defense sector under martial law.

The study employed both general scientific and special research methods, including the method of analysis and synthesis (to examine the legal foundations of interaction among security and defense sector entities), the systemic-structural method (to determine the role of law enforcement agencies within the national security system), the formal-legal method (to analyze the current legislation of Ukraine), the comparative-legal method (to study selected aspects of international experience in interagency cooperation), and the method of logical generalization (to formulate conclusions and recommendations).

Results. The article analyzes the legislative and organizational foundations of interaction between law enforcement agencies and Ukraine’s security and defense sector under current conditions. It is established that a key role in ensuring interagency coordination is played by law enforcement bodies and other entities of the security and defense sector as defined by the Law of Ukraine “On National Security of Ukraine.” The main areas of contemporary interaction are identified, including information exchange, coordination of activities under martial law, joint responses to national security threats, counteraction to crimes against the foundations of national security, documentation of war crimes, maintenance of public security in de-occupied territories, and the implementation of digital technologies in the activities of relevant authorities.

The study examines practical examples of interagency cooperation in documenting war crimes, identifying collaborationist activities, and implementing stabilization measures in liberated territories of Ukraine. Particular attention is paid to the development of modern information and analytical systems, including the functioning of the Unified State Register of Conscripts, Persons Liable for Military Service, and Reservists “Oberih,” which ensures the integration of information resources of various state bodies and contributes to more effective decision-making in the defense sector.

It is established that the modern system of interaction between law enforcement agencies and Ukraine’s security and defense sector is characterized by a gradual transition toward a comprehensive model of interagency cooperation based on coordinated actions, prompt information exchange, joint use of information and analytical resources, and the implementation of digital technologies. At the same time, certain challenges remain, including overlapping competencies of some entities, insufficient integration of information systems, and the need for further improvement of the regulatory framework governing interagency cooperation.

Prospects. Promising areas for further research include the development of effective mechanisms for digital coordination of the activities of law enforcement agencies and the security and defense sector, improvement of the legal framework for information exchange among national security actors, implementation of European Union and NATO standards in the field of interagency cooperation, and the study of modern information technologies and artificial intelligence tools aimed at increasing the effectiveness of countering threats to Ukraine’s national security.