ENSURING ECONOMIC SECURITY AS A COMPONENT OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THE NATIONAL POLICE WITHIN UKRAINE’S UNIFIED SECURITY SPACE

Abstract

The article examines the role of the National Police of Ukraine in shaping the state's unified security space, with a particular focus on ensuring economic security under wartime conditions. The document meticulously delineates the legal status and authorities wielded by police forces, constituting a pivotal component within the national security apparatus. It further underscores their role in fostering collaboration with other entities within the security sector, as well as with local hromadas. It is vital to note that particular emphasis is placed on the novel tasks of the police force during a full-scale war. These include the documentation of war crimes, the combatting of organised crime, and the maintenance of public order in de-occupied territories. The article identifies the main threats to economic security during wartime, such as corruption, the shadow economy, money laundering, financing terrorism, fraud and cybercrime, and analyses the activities of the police in combatting economic crimes, in collaboration with the Ukrainian Bureau of Economic Security and international partners. It presents examples of international co-operation in countering cross-border crimes, confirming the Ukrainian police's ability to operate within the European security framework. The importance of combining a rapid operational response with preventive mechanisms is emphasised, particularly in terms of interaction with businesses, civil society institutions and the media, in order to prevent economic offences. The subject of this research is the activities of the National Police of Ukraine in the field of ensuring economic security as an integral component of its role within the unified security space of the state. The methodological basis of the study is formed by a combination of general scientific and special legal methods. The dialectical method was utilised to analyse the dynamics of the transformation of the police's tasks under wartime conditions. The formal-legal method was employed to analyse the legal framework governing police operations within the domains of national and economic security. The system-structural method enabled the consideration of the police as a component of the security sector within the state's unified security space. The statistical method was employed to generalise official data on crime trends during the war, as well as to identify tendencies in economic offences. A sociological approach was adopted in order to account for public trust in the police and its perception as a security institution. The objective of the present article is to undertake a comprehensive study of the role of the National Police of Ukraine in shaping the unified security space of the state, with particular emphasis on ensuring economic security in the face of wartime threats, identifying the main directions of its activity in countering economic crimes, and developing recommendations for strengthening the institutional capacity of the police in the post-war period. Results. The significance of the findings lies in substantiating the institutional role of the National Police of Ukraine as a guarantor not only of public but also of economic security within the unified security space of the state. The results of the study allow for the refinement of directions for improving legal regulation, the determination of practical mechanisms for countering economic crimes during and after the war, and the provision of recommendations for the strengthening of the institutional capacity of the police in co-operation with the Bureau of Economic Security and international partners. The practical value of the conclusions lies in their potential application in the activities of security sector bodies, in developing state policy strategies aimed at countering economic threats and in designing Ukraine’s post-war recovery programmes. Conclusions. The research enables several generalisations to be formulated. Firstly, the National Police of Ukraine is a fundamental institution within the security sector. It ensures law and order, as well as public safety, throughout the country, while also being integrated into the broader context of the unified security space. Secondly, during full-scale warfare, the police undertook unusual tasks such as documenting war crimes, safeguarding critical infrastructure, joining defence forces and maintaining order in liberated territories, thereby demonstrating their adaptability and ability to overcome extraordinary challenges. Thirdly, economic security has become an essential component of national resilience. The police play a key role in preventing and combatting economic crimes such as fraud, corruption, money laundering, the shadow economy and terrorism financing. Fourthly, the National Police's effectiveness in this area largely depends on coordination with the Bureau of Economic Security, other state institutions and international partners. Fifthly, the experience of post-conflict states confirms that democratisation, professionalisation and police accountability are prerequisites for ensuring public and economic security. Ensuring economic security within the unified security space is imperative for achieving victory in the war and for Ukraine's subsequent recovery. The strategic prospects for establishing a comprehensive security framework in Ukraine are determined by the further strengthening of the police's institutional capacity, the improvement of legal mechanisms, and the development of international co-operation.