Legal regulation and directions for improving public administration in the sphere of national security

Abstract

The article examines the legal regulation and transformation of the national security system as a complex object of public administration. It is established that under current conditions of globalization, intensifying geopolitical instability, armed aggression against Ukraine, as well as hybrid, cyber, informational, and economic threats, public administration in the field of national security plays a vital role. The study substantiates that traditional management methods fail to keep pace with the dynamics of a «hybrid war of attrition». This necessitates a transition toward the principles of flexibility and technological advancement, alongside the refinement of legal and strategic planning mechanisms, improved coordination among state authorities, and the implementation of risk-oriented and project-based approaches to managing security processes.

The purpose of this study is to provide a comprehensive substantiation and analysis of existing management approaches, as well as to develop applied, practical recommendations aimed at fundamentally improving the public administration system within Ukraine's national security sector. Amidst current geopolitical instability, an ongoing full-scale hybrid war of attrition, and escalating cyber and informational threats, the study aims to transform the existing state management model. This scholarly inquiry focuses on shifting from declarative, outdated, and bureaucratic methods toward instrumental, agile, and high-tech interaction algorithms that ensure the preservation of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the sustainable development of society in alignment with European and Euro-Atlantic standards.

To achieve this purpose, the article employs a comprehensive set of general scientific and specialized research methods. The methodological foundation is rooted in a systems approach, which allows for the examination of national security as a complex, multi-tiered, and cross-sectoral structure integrating military, economic, cyber, informational, and other subsystems. Through the methods of critical, comparative, and systemic-structural analysis, traditional management approaches from the 2021–2025 period are contrasted with cutting-edge innovative concepts. Modeling and forecasting methods are further utilized to develop promising digital systems and a three-stage project for a comprehensive model.

The primary result of this research is the proposed project for a comprehensive model to enhance national security efficiency, titled the «Smart Security Ecosystem – 2026». This framework shifts the very philosophy of public administration from «holding ground» to «anticipatory development». The project is designed to establish an integrated, flexible, and resilient system capable of responding to contemporary threats, mitigating risks, and ensuring the long-term security of the state.

The conclusions emphasize that the proposed pathways will do more than merely improve isolated aspects of management; they will forge a new caliber of state security by transitioning from a passive strategy of «holding ground» to one of «anticipatory development». The authors highlight that in modern 21st-century conflicts, victory belongs not to the side with more weapons, but to the one that processes vast arrays of information faster and coordinates available resources more efficiently. The reform of legal regulation must pivot from a declarative course to an instrumental one - focusing on creating clear, high-speed algorithms for interaction among state bodies that can promptly counter threats in real time.