Statement 

by the Delegation of Ukraine 

in Exercise of the Right of Reply to the Russian Federation 

during the Thematic Discussion 

on Cluster 5 (Other Disarmament and International security measures) 

of the First Committee of the United Nations General Assembly 

at its Eighty-first Session

(23 October 2026, New York)

Mr. Chair, 

Ukraine is compelled to exercise its right of reply in response to the accusations made by the delegation of the Russian Federation.

There is a striking contradiction between the accusations voiced by Russia today and its own conduct in cyberspace.

Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine is not confined to the conventional battlefield.

Cyberspace has become another domain in which Russia seeks to undermine Ukraine's sovereignty, weaken its defense capabilities, and inflict maximum damage on the civilian population.

For years, Russia has conducted malicious cyber activities targeting Ukrainian government institutions, energy infrastructure, communications networks, financial systems, and essential civilian services.

Let us recall the cyberattack against Ukraine's power grid in 2015, which caused widespread electricity outages, and the devastating NotPetya attack in 2017, which spread far beyond Ukraine and caused enormous economic damage worldwide.

Since the beginning of his full-scale invasion, Russia has increasingly combined missile and drone strikes with malicious cyber operations against Ukraine's critical infrastructure.

In the first half of 2026 alone, Ukraine's computer emergency response team, CERT-UA, handled more than 3,100 cyber incidents, with local authorities, government institutions, the security and defense sector, and energy infrastructure among the principal targets. These figures illustrate the scale of the cyber threats Ukraine continues to face.

Russia's malicious cyber operations are an integral part of its war of aggression, conducted alongside missile and constant missile and drone attacks against Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure.

Mr. Chair, 

Despite this sustained pressure, Ukraine has demonstrated remarkable cyber resilience, thanks to the professionalism of its institutions and the strong support of international partners.

We are particularly grateful to the members of the Tallinn Mechanism, which have committed more than 300 million euros in civilian cybersecurity assistance to Ukraine since its establishment in December 2023.

Established in response to Russia's persistent cyber threats, the Tallinn Mechanism provides a coordinated international framework for strengthening Ukraine's civilian cybersecurity capabilities and long-term resilience.

It helps mobilize technical expertise, financial resources, and practical assistance to protect critical infrastructure, strengthen national cybersecurity institutions, and enhance Ukraine's capacity to prevent, detect, respond to, and recover from malicious cyber operations.

The very existence of this initiative demonstrates that Russia's malicious cyber activities are not an isolated concern, but a persistent challenge requiring sustained and coordinated action.

Thank you.