Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency to cooperate with Ukraine to improve protection of critical infrastructure

With this mandate, the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency will collaborate with the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine (SSSCIP) on civil protection and national resilience, particularly with respect to critical infrastructure. This will take place within the framework of the Statement of Intent between Sweden and Ukraine signed on 5 November 2024 with the aim of strengthening and deepening cooperation on civil protection and national resilience. 

“Europe and Sweden are currently facing the most serious security situation since the Second World War. Three core tasks for Sweden’s security and defence policy are building up total defence, reorienting security and defence policy, and continuing to support Ukraine for as long as necessary. This also applies to civil protection and national resilience. Cooperation with Ukrainian government agencies on a broad front with a focus on civil defence benefits both our countries. We can learn a great deal from what is happening,” says Minister for Civil Defence Carl-Oskar Bohlin.

Collaboration between the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency and the SSSCIP will focus on exchanges of experience, training initiatives, and initiating and implementing joint projects as necessary. The collaboration concerns civil protection and will take place within the framework of the Statement of Intent.

The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency’s mandate includes informing the Ministry of Defence about the progress of the cooperation. By 1 October each year, the Agency will present a written report on how the collaboration with its Ukrainian counterpart has developed and what concrete measures have been taken within the scope of the mandate.