Ripple Effect of the US-Russia Conflict on Ukraine's National Security (2014–2022)

Abstract

The cyber war between America and Russia has transformed into a war featuring Ukraine, and has heavily influenced global security infrastructures. Russian sponsored hackers in this conflict have launched cyber missiles at Ukraine’s infrastructure, political, security and stability hubs. This thesis analyzes the aftermaths of this cyber war involving US and Russia on the sovereignty and national interests of Ukraine, more specifically, how the international relations and Ukraine’s cybersecurity policies evolved during this period. It will also target the socio-political aspect of The Russo-Ukrainian cyber war engaging in various cyberattacks, including, but not limited to, the 2017 NotPetya Wiper worm as well as the 2022 cyber assaults and onboard focusing on energy substations from 2015 to 2016 – this part of the study will help determine the alterations (if any) that took place in Ukraine’s response strategies and measures. Further on, the effectiveness of The US and NATO cooperation with Ukraine in terms of cyber defense will also be discussed. Addressing the global growth of cyber warfare and the need for resilience in cyber defense policies and International cooperation, the implications of cyber unicode were analyzed. The study recommends what steps can be taken to tackle the issues and growing risk of cyber warfare on an international level.