Digitalization as a proven tool of resilience: what digital solutions enable Ukraine to operate in times of war.

In the modern world, where technologies are constantly evolving, digitalization becomes a crucial tool for ensuring the stability and efficiency of a country’s functioning, especially in times of war. Ukraine, facing complex geopolitical conditions, utilizes digital solutions as key elements to ensure national security and stability.

 

1) Digital ID and other documents

The strategy of transitioning to electronic digital documents and the process of personal identification are indeed game-changing solutions.

Consider how much time you use your smartphone. The phone is always in your field of vision, accompanying you during meals, sleep, and even bathroom breaks. Now, think about the location of your ID card or passport. Most likely, your answer will be that these documents are somewhere in a folder, wallet, or on a shelf. It is not surprising that during the sudden attack on February 24, 2022, people instinctively grabbed their phones, as some, due to stress, could not remember where all their necessary documents were. The mobile app “Diia” and the portal of public services allow citizens to be mobile through digital documents.

How did this help “stand against the aggressor”? In the event of physical document destruction, anyone can confirm their identity through the “Diia” application and, if necessary, restore physical documents.

 

2) Digital transformation of Government services

Obtaining a birth certificate for a child, getting a certificate, or filing an application through the electronic portal is much easier than waiting in line, especially during air raids, risking exposure to enemy shelling.

The approach of “transferring all services online” has proven its effectiveness both during the pandemic and in the full-scale war. Continuous improvement of systems helps the country withstand challenges. Ukraine’s Minister of Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov, noted plans to increase the number of electronic services in “Diia” and upgrade the “Trembita” system, facilitating data exchange between state registries and aligning its standards with EU requirements.

 

3) Low-code approach and standardization of E-Public services

To unite all electronic government services into a single ecosystem and reduce costs in design, development, maintenance, and cybersecurity, a decision was made to standardize services, interests, technology stacks, and adopt a low-code approach.

Low-code is a software development approach that facilitates collaboration between technical specialists and business users, enabling faster creation of solutions for digital transformation by minimizing coding efforts.

Besides the economic effect, the low-code approach proved effective in 2023. Registries and services were swiftly deployed within the first two months of the full-scale war. Currently, Ukraine digitizes around 30 government services annually, with this number expected to grow.

 

4) Bureaucracy-free Financial Technologies

Ukrainian fintech goes beyond using ApplePay or credit cards for online purchases. Fintech technologies have allowed us to be more flexible and conduct business more easily.

This applies to both mobile applications for individuals and online portals for legal entities, providing statements, payments, settlements, and more.

Fintech companies that handle personal data have specific responsibilities for preserving, protecting against unlawful processing, and controlling access to this information.

 

5) Digital ecosystem of services for business and citizens

Thanks to\or despite Covid-19, we almost no longer stand in queues to report to the tax office, open individual entrepreneur accounts, obtain licenses, and more. Credit must be given – in Ukraine, an ecosystem of products and services has been built from the inception of one’s business to its closure. The government, small and medium-sized businesses are creating solutions to simplify and automate business operations.

Some of these products include:

– Diia Portal – an online portal offering various services for citizens, from opening an individual entrepreneur account to obtaining licenses for activities.

– Diia Sign – digital signature for documents.

– Vchasno – a service for exchanging digital documents.

– Electronic taxpayer cabinet.

– ME D.O.C. – a system for electronic reporting.

– Electronic pensioner’s cabinet (for those who retire from their own business).

– Various electronic digital registers and systems for businesses and organizations.

– Digitization of banks and online portals for individuals and legal entities.

– Various CRM, ERP, financial, and accounting systems that automate and simplify business management.

 

You might ask, “How does this contribute to resilience?” Our answer: because it lies in a comprehensive approach to streamlining business operations. During active military actions, tense nights, and all the risks entrepreneurs face, automation and simplification of most processes are integral to resilience. Such resilience in the business sector shapes the economy and stability of the country in the future.

 

6) E-Health and Healthcare

The digital health and wellness app industry is thriving. Specialized apps allow people to easily schedule online consultations with doctors, interpret lab results online, or order medication delivery. Additionally, IT professionals have developed electronic medical records with a patient’s medical history, allergies, prescriptions, which can be crucial in critical situations.

Supported by the Ministry of Health of Ukraine and the National Health Service of Ukraine, an electronic healthcare system has been created. The system operates based on the following principles:

– eZdorovya – administers the Central Database of the E-Health System and oversees the development of the electronic healthcare system in Ukraine.

– National Health Service of Ukraine – analyzes and uses data to forecast population needs for medical services, develops medical guarantee programs, and facilitates payment to medical facilities for services.

– Ministry of Health of Ukraine – shapes health policy and oversees the implementation of reforms.

– Business – electronic medical information systems (EMIS) – systems that automate the operation of medical institutions with the E-Health Central Database (monitoring efficiency).

 

7) General digitalization of small and medium-sized businesses

Back in 2019, the Ministry of Digital Transformation launched a project to develop small and medium-sized businesses, created online consulting zones for entrepreneurs, launched a hotline, moved administrative services online, and more.

Additionally, tasks such as tax reporting, electronic taxpayer cabinets, electronic digital document services – all of this exists in Ukraine and is improving every day.

Digitized business processes, such as tenders, supplier selection, and customer acquisition through digital channels, have allowed businesses not only to recover part of their processes but also to renew (and in some cases gain new) clientele.

 

8) Wide use of tools for education digitalization

The resilience of Ukraine’s education sector goes beyond the need for continuity. It is not just about the educational process in bomb shelters or metro stations. Ukrainian students have been engaged in remote learning since 2020. The widespread use of Google Classroom, Moodle systems, Microsoft Teams, and various educational platforms has allowed the learning process to continue despite pandemic restrictions. Ukraine even launched its first online kindergarten.

In addition to platforms for conducting traditional online lessons and lectures, other systems for child development and tools for testing and knowledge assessment, such as “Na Urok”, have rapidly developed. Projects for electronic gradebooks and electronic interactive gamified educational activities have also started to evolve.

Since 2023, the “Mriya” initiative has been initiated, laying the foundation for a more reliable, accessible, and flexible education system, aiming to combine the entire education process into one ecosystem in a single application.

The digital transformation of education in Ukraine prepares generations of students for a new world where everything moves into the digital space. Thanks to the digitization of the educational process, trust in educational institutions is built, and there is a rapid process of modernizing and updating educational programs for schools, higher education, and specialized education.

 

9) Migration of all computing power to clouds

Ukraine has moved many of its IT resources to the cloud. This choice was driven by the importance of having all data in one place and ensuring easy access to them.

By diversifying corporate infrastructures into the cloud, businesses store a larger portion of data and corporate information. Storing data in cloud repositories allows Ukraine to avoid problems related to geographical limitations. Remote cloud storage provides access to data regardless of the physical location of servers.

Specifically, cloud security ensures the protection of repositories and networks from internal and external threats, access management, data management, compliance with requirements, and disaster recovery. Thanks to the preserved IT infrastructure, many quickly “recovered from the blow” and continued working.

Therefore, digitalization not only helps Ukraine optimize its functions in times of military conflict but also serves as a strategic step in building a resilient and innovative society capable of coping with various challenges and preserving its independence and security.