The invisible front: Ukraine’s IT army and the evolution of cyber resistance

Anna Lysenko and Seva Gunitsky

Post-Soviet Affairs, 2025, vol. 41, issue 4, 263-288

Abstract: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 saw the emergence of a new actor: the IT Army of Ukraine (ITAU), a volunteer cyber force that countered Russian disinformation and targeted its digital spaces. We argue that the ITAU contributed to Ukraine’s political victory in the Battle of Kyiv by projecting national resilience to both domestic audiences and international observers. By countering Russian cyberattacks and mounting its own offensive campaigns, the ITAU not only disrupted enemy capabilities but also bolstered domestic morale and helped shape global perceptions of Ukraine’s ability to defend itself. This resistance contributed to Ukraine’s overall hybrid resilience in the crucial opening months of the invasion. More broadly, the ITAU reflects a growing shift in cyber conflict away from covert technical sabotage toward visible, politically charged campaigns aimed at controlling narratives and influencing perceptions. As a key case study of civilian cyber-mobilization, the ITAU offers broader insights into the evolving role of civilian participation in future conflicts.

Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/1060586X.2025.2503658 (text/html)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:taf:rpsaxx:v:41:y:2025:i:4:p:263-288

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.tandfonline.com/pricing/journal/rpsa20

DOI: 10.1080/1060586X.2025.2503658

Access Statistics for this article

Post-Soviet Affairs is currently edited by Timothy Frye

More articles in Post-Soviet Affairs from Taylor & Francis Journals
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Chris Longhurst ().