From Warzone to World Leader

On 24 February 2022, Ukraine’s Russo-Ukrainian War entered a full-scale invasion. Amid the chaos in Kyiv, Oleksandr Bornyakov, Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation, pressed forward with a project far from the trenches: Diia, a mobile platform reshaping how citizens interact with their government.

Creating a Government in Your Pocket

Launched in 2019, Diia began by digitizing driver’s licenses. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it introduced vaccination certificates, bringing millions more users. Today, it offers 40 core services and 30+ electronic documents, from marriage petitions to Eurovision voting. The web portal extends this to over 130 services for both citizens and businesses.

Wartime Digital Upgrades

When Russia invaded, Diia adapted with 15 war-specific services — enabling Ukrainians to claim compensation for destroyed homes or report Russian troop positions. As one expert noted: “During war, urgency beats bureaucracy.”

The Secret Weapon: Ukraine’s IT Talent

Ukraine’s strength lies in its 300,000 software developers, a pre-war outsourcing powerhouse. Developing Diia cost between $5–10 million, a fraction of what it would in the UK. This world-class but affordable workforce made the platform scalable and resilient.

Infrastructure Before the Interface

Ukraine’s leap forward was possible thanks to early adoption of a secure national data exchange system, similar to Estonia’s. This eliminated redundant data entry and sped up integration of new services. Citizens didn’t need to re-enter addresses or personal data for each application — cutting inefficiencies and streamlining processes.

Learning from Denmark and Looking Ahead with AI

While Denmark still ranks as the world’s top digital government, Ukraine’s wartime achievements put it alongside global leaders. The next phase? Artificial intelligence to create a conversational, personalized guide for complex procedures. Bornyakov sees this as recasting how citizens experience government.

Digital Resilience Under Attack

Despite the pandemic and war, Ukraine continues to push forward reforms that many nations struggle with in peacetime. From property rights after missile strikes to Eurovision voting, Diia has kept citizens and government connected. As Bornyakov says: “The war didn’t stop us. It made us faster.”

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