Navigating Challenges and Strengthening Ukraine's and European Internet Infrastructure – TOPIC 01 Sub 02 2023

20 June 2023 | 11:30 - 12:15 EEST | Main auditorium | |
Consolidated programme 2023 overview / Main Topic 1

To join this session, please register for EuroDIG 2023.

Proposals: #10 #16 #38 #52

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Session teaser

The main focus of the session is to explore how the Ukrainian Internet community maintains critical infrastructure resilience during ongoing war, highlighting best practices, still-existing vulnerabilities, and international support efforts.

Session description

The ongoing war in Ukraine has had a profound impact on the country's infrastructure and its resilience. Russia’s aggressive actions have caused extensive damage to critical infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, airports, hospitals, and schools, leading to the displacement of millions of people worldwide. But beyond that, the Internet infrastructure has also suffered significantly, resulting in numerous negative outcomes, including disrupted communication channels, limited access to reliable information, the deprivation of emergency services in war zone areas, and other challenges caused by heavy reliance on Internet services in the modern era.

The session will draw on the experiences of key organisations involved in Internet functioning, with a particular focus on RIPE NCC, which has played a critical role in supporting the Ukrainian Internet community and ensuring the inviolability of the country's critical infrastructure. The discussion will showcase the results of consolidation projects and research in this area, as well as proven "practices on the ground." Additionally, the session will explore strategies to counter threats in the European and, above all, Scandinavian dimension, which persist due to Russia's ongoing aggressive actions.

The primary goal of this session is to explore effective practices and approaches that support the operability and resilience of Internet infrastructure affected by war, so that the lessons learned from Ukraine can be applied in other regions experiencing similar crises.

Format

The session will be structured as a 45-minute panel discussion featuring experts in the field and a moderator.

Further reading

• Articles and Publications:
  • Phokeer, Amreesh (24 February 2023). Case Study: Ukraine – A Role Model for Internet Resilience. Available via this link.
  • Cowie, Jim (18 January 2023). Internet Infrastructure Predictions for 2023: Ukraine Internet to Prevail, Central Asia to Increase Internet Resilience in Response to War. Available via this link.
  • Aben, Emile (10 March 2022). The Resilience of the Internet in Ukraine. Available via this link.
  • Siddiqui, Aftab (23 February 2023). Ukraine War: How has the Internet Changed in Ukraine 12 Months on. Available via this link.

• Initiatives and Events:
  • EU4Digital Facility (13 February 2023). Keeping connected: connectivity resilience in Ukraine. Available via this link.
  • RIPE NCC Open House: Internet in Ukraine (2 March 2023). Discussion on the Internet in Ukraine between RIPE NCC members and the Ukrainian Internet community. Available via this link.

Links to relevant websites, declarations, books, documents. Please note we cannot offer web space, so only links to external resources are possible. Example for an external link: Main page of EuroDIG

People

Please provide name and institution for all people you list here.

SME

• Olivier MJ Crépin-Leblond
• Tatiana Tropina
• Yrjö Länsipuro

The Subject Matter Experts (SME) support the programme planning process throughout the year and work closely with the Secretariat. They give advice on the topics that correspond to their expertise, cluster the proposals and assist session organisers in their work. They also ensure that session principles are followed and monitor the complete programme to avoid repetition.

Focal Point

• Vladislav Ivanets, Free Moscow University
• Liljana Pecova Ilieska, IMPETUS, Center for Internet, Development and Good Governance

Focal Points take over the responsibility and lead of the session organisation. They work in close cooperation with the respective Subject Matter Expert (SME) and the EuroDIG Secretariat and are kindly requested to follow EuroDIG’s session principles

Organising Team (Org Team) List Org Team members here as they sign up.

• Amali De Silva-Mitchell
• Nicola Frank
• André Melancia
• Marko Ala-Fossi
• Steffann Sander
• Adam Zagorecki
• Alena Muravska
• Oksana Prykhodko
• Marlene Straub
• Fotjon Kosta
• Gianluca Diana
• Signe Ravn
• Kaj Backman
• Olena Kushnir

The Org Team is a group of people shaping the session. Org Teams are open and every interested individual can become a member by subscribing to the mailing list.

Key Participants:

• Alena Muravska, Programme Management Officer, RIPE NCC (ON-SITE)

• Olena Kushnir, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of the WebPro.UA LLC (ONLINE)

• Marko Ala-Fossi, Senior Lecturer of Journalism at Tampere University, New Nordic Agenda supervisor (ON-SITE)

• Kaj Backman, Programme Director of YLE, Finnish Broadcasting Company (ON-SITE)

  Kaj Backman is the Administrative Head of the News and Current Affairs unit at the Finnish public service broadcasting company YLE, handling its preparedness and contingency planning. Having been with the company for over 20 years, he has a background in news and current affairs journalism.

Lighting talks given by:

• Andriy Nabok, Head of Fixed Broadband Department of the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine (ONLINE)

• Sander Steffann, Founding Board Member and Secretary of the Global NOG Alliance (ON-SITE)

• Oksana Prykhodko, Executive Director, European Media Platform (ON-SITE)

Key Participants are experts willing to provide their knowledge during a session – not necessarily on stage. Key Participants should contribute to the session planning process and keep statements short and punchy during the session. They will be selected and assigned by the Org Team, ensuring a stakeholder balanced dialogue also considering gender and geographical balance. Please provide short CV’s of the Key Participants involved in your session at the Wiki or link to another source.

Moderator

• André Melancia, Technical community, Portugal (ON-SITE)

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Remote Moderator

Trained remote moderators will be assigned on the spot by the EuroDIG secretariat to each session.

Reporter

Reporters will be assigned by the EuroDIG secretariat in cooperation with the Geneva Internet Platform. The Reporter takes notes during the session and formulates 3 (max. 5) bullet points at the end of each session that:

• are summarised on a slide and presented to the audience at the end of each session
• relate to the particular session and to European Internet governance policy
• are forward looking and propose goals and activities that can be initiated after EuroDIG (recommendations)
• are in (rough) consensus with the audience

Current discussion, conference calls, schedules and minutes

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• dates for virtual meetings or coordination calls
  • The Firs Org Team Call was held on 4 April (summary to be provided)
  • The Second Org Team Call was held on 8 May (summary to be provided)

• short summary of calls or email exchange

Please be as open and transparent as possible in order to allow others to get involved and contact you. Use the wiki not only as the place to publish results but also to summarize the discussion process.

Messages

A short summary of the session will be provided by the Reporter.

Video record

Will be provided here after the event.

Transcript

Will be provided here after the event.