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To Beat Russia, Study Russia: Ukraine’s Spy Agency Partners With Kyiv-Mohyla Academy
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![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Directorate (HUR) has signed a memorandum of strategic partnership with the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (NaUKMA) to strengthen academic and analytical cooperation aimed at studying Russia more systematically, the agency announced on November 6.
According to the HUR, the agreement seeks to merge the practical experience of military intelligence with the academic expertise of Kyiv-Mohyla’s researchers.
The initiative focuses on developing a deeper understanding of Russian society, state institutions, propaganda methods, and patterns of decision-making.
“To defeat the enemy, one must know how they think and act. We are ready to share our unique experience with Kyiv-Mohyla scholars. Science and intelligence will work together to strengthen the state’s defense potential,” said HUR chief Kyrylo Budanov.
The collaboration will include joint research projects, educational initiatives, and knowledge exchange programs. The intelligence agency emphasized that such cooperation aims to prepare a new generation of specialists capable of analyzing and countering Russian influence across political, information, and cultural domains.
NaUKMA President Serhiy Kvit noted that as part of the initiative, the university has launched a certification program in Russian Studies designed to examine Russia “as a threat.”
“An enemy you don’t know is the most dangerous one. That is why studying it is part of our contribution to the common victory,” Kvit said, adding that the partnership with HUR will make such research more systematic and effective.
Earlier, on September 24, Ukraine’s military intelligence reportedly hacked Russian occupation infrastructure in Crimea, accessing over 100 terabytes of internal files. The breach uncovered records of child abductions from occupied Ukrainian territories, revealing personal data of minors transferred to Russia and Crimea.
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