Odesa strengthens cyber resilience through crisis simulation training

Odesa, a strategically important Ukrainian city on the Black Sea, remains a constant target of Russian attacks, both from the air and in cyberspace. While physical attacks damage infrastructure, cyberattacks can disrupt the systems and services that keep the region running.

This makes cyber resilience essential for Odesa. Essential services need to keep running even when the systems behind them come under attack.

“Cybersecurity is directly linked to the resilience of the entire Odesa region. We need institutions to be prepared, understand their responsibilities, and be able to maintain critical functions even under the most difficult conditions. This is especially important for a region that continues to operate under constant pressure,” said Andrii Neuhodnikov, Deputy Head of the Odesa Regional Military Administration.

Around 60 representatives of public authorities, municipal enterprises, energy companies, healthcare institutions, as well as law enforcement and security bodies, took part in a Tabletop Exercise (TTX) in Odesa on 6 – 7 August 2026 focused on responding to complex cyberattacks.

The exercise was organised by the e-Governance Academy (eGA) together with the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine (SSSCIP) and the Odesa Regional Military Administration, with EU support under the EU4CyberUA project and support from CISO Campus.

Participants worked through a simulated cyberattack, practicing early detection, escalation and response, containment, and recovery. As the scenario unfolded, they had to exchange information, make decisions and coordinate their response across institutions.

“During a serious cyber incident, technical expertise alone is not enough. Information needs to reach the right people quickly, responsibilities must be clear, and decisions have to be made under pressure. Exercises like this allow us to test these processes before we have to rely on them during a real attack,” said Dmytro Pakholchenko, Director of the Cybersecurity Department at the Administration of the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine (SSSCIP).

For the e-Governance Academy, the Odesa exercise is part of a broader effort to strengthen practical cyber preparedness across Ukraine within the EU-supported project “Continued EU Support to Cybersecurity” (EU4CyberUA)  and ESTDEV-supported UA-EE Cyber Shield via Tallinn Mechanism project.

“Cyber threats are constantly changing, so preparedness cannot stand still. Regular exercises give professionals a chance to test existing approaches, identify weaknesses, and learn from experience. This is how we strengthen cyber resilience over time,” said Dmytro Savranchuk, Deputy Team Leader of the EU4CyberUA project at the e-Governance Academy.

The Odesa training is the third edition of a series of 10 Cybersecurity Tabletop Exercises launched in Kyiv in May 2026. The exercises are taking place across different regions of Ukraine, helping local teams gain practical experience and strengthen their preparedness to respond to large-scale cyber incidents.

The Tabletop Exercises are part of the European Union-funded project EU4CyberUA that supports Ukraine in strengthening its national cyber resilience and aligning with European cybersecurity standards. Implemented by the e-Governance Academy (eGA) and FIAP in partnership with the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine (SSSCIP), the project runs from 2026 to 2029. With a total budget of €10 million, it supports stronger cybersecurity institutions, improved preparedness for cyber threats, and more secure digital governance.