Ukrainian Practice Research Articles

Humanitarian Numbers in the Russian–Ukrainian War

In this interview, Irina Mützelburg discusses the production and spreading of humanitarian numbers in the on-going Russian–Ukrainian war since February 2022. She traces the emergence of the announced number of Ukrainian refugees several months before the beginning of the full-scale invasion and analyses the ways in which the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) compile statistics respectively on Ukrainian refugees abroad and internally displaced persons (IDPs). Numbers are produced to be coherent and higher, to illustrate the need for attention and funding. Furthermore, the debated issue of Ukrainians who (were) moved to Russia since the invasion is reviewed, discussing not only the numbers, but also the ways the Ukrainian and the Russian states frame the ways and reasons for which Ukrainians came to Russia. Finally, the interview covers the term ‘evacuee’ and ‘evacuation’ that both Russian and Ukrainian politicians and media use in unusual ways and which have been taken up by international media outlets. Irina Mützelburg is a post-doctoral researcher at the Centre for East European and International Studies in Berlin and a co-coordinator of the German-French ANR-DFG project, Limspaces, researching everyday life in Moldova and Ukraine. Currently she studies the educational situation of displaced pupils from Ukraine in Germany. She holds a PhD from Sciences Po Paris and has published on Ukraine, migration policies, norm transfer and public policy analysis in the Journal of Intercultural Studies, European Journal of Migration, Revue française de science politique, Revue d’études comparatives Est-Ouest, Revue Gouvernance and Trajectoires. Her book Transferring Asylum Norms to EU Neighbours: Multi-Scalar Policies and Practices in Ukraine has been published with Palgrave Macmillan (London) in 2022.

Комітети монетарної політики в умовах спалаху пандемії коронавірусу

Introduction. In conditions of systemic shocks, such as the coronavirus pandemic, monetary policy decision-making requires collegiality. Monetary policy committees (MPCs) are a successful institutional solution in the conditions of information asymmetry and available alternatives for responding with monetary measures to dynamic changes in the economy and shocks. Problem Statement. In Ukraine, at the level of the central bank and in the scientific opinion, the role and status of the MPCs in ensuring financial stability is underestimated, which is perceived more as a working body of the Board of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU). The formation of its composition which includes only top managers of the NBU does not guarantee against the adoption of biased or short-sighted decisions, which can lead to negative consequences for economic growth. There is a need to bring the principles of this collegial body into line with the best practices of central banks. Purpose.To generalize international experience in the institutional development of national central banks in the direction of the corporate structure of the monetary policy committee to ensure greater efficiency of its work and the application of best practices in Ukraine. Methods. Content analysis, methods of scientific abstraction, comparative analysis of statistical information published by central banks of countries that are not part of the European Central Bank system were used. Results. The coronavirus pandemic did not cause significant changes in the organization of committee activities, but it increased the importance of involving external experts to assess and forecast the situation. The analysis of the biographical data of such persons showed that they are highly qualified specialists, recognized in the country and by the international community. In the decisions of individual political bodies the reference to the expectations of the market participants (for example, the prediction of the decision related to maintainance , increase or decrease of the discount rate) deserves special attention as well as the requirement for the members of the body to observe a period of “silence” for at least one week, which means refraining from comments on the statement of position before the meeting. Of course, the practice of involvement the representatives of the Ministry of Finance in meetings of the committee without voting rights is of interest. Conclusions. Monetary policy committees work primarily to ensure price stability, but with a perspective for economic development. The main functions of MPCs in most European countries are not limited to setting the discount rate, but cover reserve requirements, approval of liquidity support programs and refinancing of banks, operations of the central bank in the foreign exchange market and with securities. For Ukraine, it is considered optimal to form MPCs not under the Board, but under the National Bank itself in order to raise its status to the level of a decision-making body. For this amendments should be made to the Law “On the National Bank of Ukraine” and regulations or provisions on the MPCs should be developed. The participation of external experts in the committee is necessary for making informed decisions. Their level of qualification should be confirmed by a doctorate in economics or finance and the status of professor, a solid list of scientific publications and experience of participation in international research. Management experience in public financial corporations, central banks and departments or large financial institutions is desirable. In our opinion, the participation of politicians in the committee is inappropriate, because in the current conditions it will only undermine the independence of the central bank.

Fiscal risk management in Ukraine under new challenges

This article examines fiscal risks and their management in Ukraine and abroad, drawing on international best practices. The main aim is to analyze global risks in the short and long term and evaluate how public finances have been managed in Ukraine and other countries during economic crises, while suggesting areas for improvement. The study utilized various scientific methods, including the structural-functional method to uncover risk management mechanisms within public finance systems and the comparative method to contrast key indicators of Ukraine's public finance system with those of other nations. Key findings include the identification of primary tools used nationally and internationally to mitigate the impact of fiscal shocks during crises. Budgetary practices from different countries were also examined, emphasizing fiscal rules, social expenditure allocation, and incentives for innovation and investment. The research highlights how global challenges and economic crises have led countries to adopt different approaches based on their economic development and risk management integration into fiscal processes. Recommendations are provided to enhance fiscal risk management measures in Ukraine, particularly in the ongoing wartime context. In conclusion, this article underscores the importance of effective fiscal risk management and offers specific suggestions to strengthen fiscal risk management practices in Ukraine, considering current circumstances and unforeseen challenges.

Corruption in legal activities and ways to fight it

Corruption is one of the phenomena that can cause crises in various areas of social and societal development of every country, primarily in politics, economics, public administration, and it is one of the key prerequisites for the existence of organized crime.Since Ukraine declared its independence, the concept of corruption has become widespread in the national legal literature, speeches of politicians and state leaders. The analysis of legislation, scientific and reference literature allows us to claim that the concept of «corruption» was formed in ancient times and was generally understood as bribery.The article offers a study of modern methods of combating this phenomenon in legal practice. In the course of the research, the author identified alternative solutions to problematic issues and ways to improve the current state of jurisprudence so that it could be in line with European standards. The author also conducted a comparative analysis of how this issue has been addressed in other countries and the possibility of applying such experience in Ukraine.In particular, the author studied the process of an evolutionary breakthrough in the fight against corruption after the fall of the Soviet system both in Ukraine and in the neighboring post-Soviet countries. It is worth noting that most of the attention is focused on Romania and Slovakia, which have shown very positive results.The article analyzes the effectiveness of all anti-corruption bodies established to fight corruption, as well as the public’s attitude to their activities. The author highlights statistics regarding public confidence in the authorities and finds out what they consider to be the most corrupt in the country.The article discusses the existing problematic issues regarding anti-corruption measures, as there is a widespread practice of ignoring the law, which can lead to avoiding responsibility and the actual absence of real responsibility for corrupt practices. The effective fight against corruption in Ukraine requires proper legislative support, the creation of an effective system of state bodies, and ensuring their proper formation.In order to implement the best international practices in Ukraine to build a system of integrity in the private sector, the Law of Ukraine «On Prevention of Corruption» includes a special block of anti-corruption mechanisms aimed at preventing corruption in the activities of both state-owned and private entities.In view of the aforesaid, a corrupt act usually has a selfish purpose and a desire to receive illegal remuneration, to satisfy one’s own interest. Therefore, it can be determined that corruption is an act committed by an official or employee by abusing their position and/or authority for the benefit of an individual at their (or another person’s) request, with the purpose of obtaining remuneration and satisfying the person’s own interest.Anti-corruption activities are carried out within the framework of various legal relations. This circumstance necessitates the development of various means of preventing corruption that will help block this phenomenon in any social relations (in particular, in education).

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PRINCIPLES OF ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE IN THE PROVISION OF DIGITAL PUBLIC SERVICES: EU EXPERIENCE AND UKRAINIAN PRACTICE

The article is devoted to the implementation of the principles of administrative procedure in the provision of digital public services, focusing on the experience of EU countries and Ukrainian practice. The purpose of the study is to analyse the application of administrative procedural principles in the provision of digital public services, to assess the effectiveness of their implementation and to draw lessons for improving digital public services. The subject of the study is the search for ways to improve Ukrainian legislation on the administrative procedure of providing digital government services in accordance with the standards of EU countries. Methodology. The study uses general and special methods of scientific cognition. The method of analysis and synthesis makes it possible to analyse EU legislation and standards, national legislation, data from international official ratings, scientific publications, strategies and expert reviews in order to identify specific features of digital governance systems in EU countries. The comparative legal method makes it possible to see the main trends in the development of digital government initiatives, to outline the main directions and vectors of their implementation, and also to highlight the Ukrainian context of digital transformation and e-government initiatives with EU countries and. The systems method allows for a comprehensive study of the principles of administrative procedure, such as transparency, accessibility, efficiency and user-centredness, in the provision of digital public services in the context of digital governance. The comparative analysis method highlights the specifics of legal regulation of digital innovations in public administration in EU countries as well as in Estonia, Germany and Poland. Results. It has been established that EU countries have made significant progress in integrating the principles of administrative procedures into the provision of digital services, which has led to increased efficiency, user satisfaction and trust in public services. Ukrainian practice shows progress in aligning with these principles, with notable progress in expanding the availability of e-services and increasing automation. However, challenges remain in relation to ethical and legal frameworks, data protection and copyright issues in the use of digital technologies. This study contributes to the understanding of best practices in this area and offers practical recommendations for the further development of digital public services in Ukraine.

Presumption of Employment in Non-Standard Labour Relations on Digital Platforms

The article discusses the problematic aspects of employment on digital platforms. Using the example of the Glovo courier service, the author analyzes the legal regulation of these labour relations in Ukraine and abroad. The study reasonably proves that in the delivery relationship, there is a presumption of employment, and therefore automatic recognition of the relationship between the courier and the Glovo digital platform as an employment relationship. This fact does not need to be established in court. Unfortunately, the Ukrainian experience is not encouraging: not only are these relations not regulated by law, but the courts refuse to recognize them aslabour relations. The article draws the following conclusions. (1) The lack of legal certainty leads to various consequences: non-payment of taxes to the state budget and unified social contributions, which has an impact today and also has a delayed effect in the future. Although it is common practice in Ukraine for such drivers or couriers to be registered as individual entrepreneurs, and while this partially resolves the issue of paying taxes and fees, the issue of labour and legal protection remains relevant. (2) The analysis of the decision of the Supreme Court of Spain provides additional arguments in favor of the need to enshrine in the national labour legislation the presumption of an employment relationship in the field of courier services provided through a digital platform, in particular, Glovo. (3) The national court practice is only beginning to be formed in the area of establishing the fact of labour contractual relations on digital platforms. There is an law contracts. To change this paradigm, the greatest hopes should be placed on the Supreme Court, which, with its quasi-precedent-setting decision, can adjust and set a new tone in establishing the fact of labour relations. (4) Maintaining the status quo will have short- and long-term negative consequences,contributing to a situation of permanent violation of social and labour rights ofemployees, which directly contradicts both the Constitution and Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic integration aspirations. Key words: labour relations, non-standard forms of employment, non-standardlabour relations, presumption of employment, establishment of the fact of labourrelations.

Legal responsibility for animal cruelty: EU and Ukraine practice

The paper examines the issue of legal responsibility for animal cruelty in Ukraine and EU member states. The main acts of domestic legislation, which specialize in the protection of animals from cruel treatment, have been identified. It has been established that the EU member states have implemented a significant number of legal acts that allow the protection of animals at the legislative level. In all European countries, abuse of animals is considered a crime and is punishable by a fine or even imprisonment. The legislation of Italy, Norway, Greece and France was analyzed. It has been established that in Italy the term of imprisonment ranges from 3 to 18 months, and the fine that the animal abuser will have to pay can reach 30,000 euros. Norway is also worthy of attention, where the penalty is imprisonment for up to 1 year, the imposition of a fine with confiscation of the animal. In Greece, animal cruelty is subject to administrative and criminal liability. Administrative responsibility can reach 30,000 thousand euros. Criminal liability consists of imprisonment for up to 10 years and fines from 30,000 to 50,000 euros. In France, criminal liability is provided in the form of imprisonment for up to 5 years and a fine of up to 75,000 thousand euros. Based on the analysis of the legislation of European countries, changes to the domestic legislation are proposed, namely, it is worth borrowing foreign experience and in case of cruel treatment of animals, in addition to the prescribed confiscation of the animal, establish a ban on their further keeping. In addition, a global problem in the area of prosecution is the low public awareness of legal responsibility for animal cruelty, so one of the important measures is the implementation of legal education measures regarding administrative and criminal norms that provide for responsibility and the degree of punishment for the specified offense.

Gamified English Language Learning in Ukraine: Critical Divide between Tradition and Innovation

The article aims to describe gamification and educational technologies integrated into English teacher education as impactful and novel practices in Ukraine. Therefore the study briefly reviews educational technologies and gamification research and presents empirical evidence from Kyiv National Linguistic University. Since Ukraine is determined to be in line with the world’s progressive tendencies and is striving for digital humanistic pedagogy, the significance of this study lies in proving that technology-assisted gamified English learning essentially transforms Ukrainian education and positively affects Ukrainian schools where the quality of English is on the agenda. The study’s central question addresses the benefits of gamified learning for building English proficiency in preservice teachers and developing necessary teacher competencies, projecting the effect on their in-service teaching at Ukrainian schools in the future. Collecting the data and carrying out the research employed mixed methods, engaging 43 future teachers of English in the 1st and 2nd years of training and 11 language instructors. The findings prove that the study is relevant and deserves further investigation for a successful application in English teacher preparation in Ukraine to make school classrooms motivating and engaging for enhancing English language education and reaching ambitious goals to meet the world’s standards in teacher training.

PHYSIOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL ASPECTS OF OPTIMISING THE SOWING RATE OF SPRING AND WINTER Pisum sativum FORMS

The winter and spring varieties of peas (Pisum sativum) require careful study of the entire range of technological measures, including seeding rates, as the basis for optimal sowing density and the formation of phytocenose crops. This issue has not been resolved to date, not only in the context of agrobiological justification but also in everyday practice in Ukraine. This research was carried out in a field experiment in a three-way factorial experiment: factor “A” was the type of development - winter and spring; factor “B” was the variety - spring peas (Svit and Darunok Stepu) and winter peas (Moroz, Enduro and Baltrapp); and factor “C” was the seeding rate. According to the field studies, differences in the physiological and biochemical parameters of the P. sativum test culture characterised the photosynthetic activity of the plants, considering the type of development and variety. The winter varieties of P. sativum were characterised by a higher chlorophyll content (by 35–40%) compared to the spring varieties, which had an economic effect with an increase in the yield of dry biomass of the experimental crop and a decrease in seeding rates, with the formation and increase in grain yield by 14–18%. The intensity of chlorophyll in the process was not a determining factor in the accumulation of organic biomass. The extensive nature of the integration complex was noted (the amount of chlorophyll - the amount of biomass). At the optimal seeding rate, a certain specificity was observed in different types of P. sativum: for spring varieties, the sufficient rate was 0.9 million seeds/ha, and for winter varieties, it was 0.7 million seeds/ha. For varieties with a low productivity level (spring - Svit and winter - Moroz), the optimum sowing rate was around 0.7 million seeds/ha. The increase in the seeding rate was accompanied by a decrease in the content of various chlorophyll fractions from 10–12% to 20–26%.

Benchmarking of the European and Ukrainian Practice of Applying a Personalised Approach to Learning

The Report is prepared on the basis of the information received from three European universities – the Project’s partners (including information from the universities’ websites) about the practices of personalised learning (PL); and the information from six Ukrainian universities – the Project’s partners (including surveys of staff and students) to describe the current state/situation, to understand the existing gaps and to define the tasks for the process of implementing the Project. Information about the European universities presents their achievements in the realisation of PL in higher education, including the following directions: PL model; Institutional policies and PL; Infrastructure, environment, tools etc. for PL; QA system and PL; Students and PL; University teachers and PL; Management and PL; Inclusion in the education process. Information on Ukrainian universities has two parts: the 1st – General questions about implementing PL in the university; the 2nd – Questionnaire for surveying staff and students. The Conclusions that are finalising the publication have a practical orientation.

European principles of integrated reporting of socially responsible business

Implementation of the European principles of accountability, publicity and transparency of business, corporate reporting regulations and social responsibility practices in Ukraine is important for the dissemination of European values in the business environment, realization of the progressive impact of corporate social responsibility on sustainable development of so­ciety, strengthening of European integration processes, expansion of the business worldview and integrated thinking. The purpose of the article is to highlight the principles and prac­tices of integrated reporting of socially respon­sible business in the EU for their implementation in Ukraine. The research methodology is based on a systematic approach, comparative analysis, analogy, synthesis, induction and deduction, and assessment of corporate social responsibility reporting practices and principles. The analysis of key international standards, frameworks, and guidelines allowed us to identify a significant list of principles and requirements for corporate social responsibility disclosure. The difference in the recognition of principles in different regulatory and guiding documents depends on the emphasis, focus and attention to certain aspects of information disclosure. The most com­mon principles in international practice are materiality, completeness, stakeholder engage­ment, comparability, timeliness, neutrality, cla­rity, reliability, and consistency. At the same time, other principles that differ in different standards do not contradict but complement each other. Therefore, in practice, European companies are guided by several standards simultaneously when disclosing information on social responsi­bility and their own initiatives. Due to reporting requirements, European companies are actively implementing the principles of social responsi­bility. Implementation of the European princip­les and practices of integrated reporting in Ukraine will ensure transparency, openness of business, increase the level of trust, visibility and market reward for corporate social respon­sibility.

Ensuring the effectiveness of professionalization of local self-government officials

Ensuring the effectiveness of professionalization of local self-government officials

On the question of the establishment and development of languages education in Canada (XVII - the beginning of XXI century)

The article is devoted to the study of the theoretical and organizational foundations of language teaching in the Canadian education system in the context of globalization processes and multilingual society. The work presents a retrospective analysis of the formation and development of language teaching in the Canadian education system from the beginning of organized education to the beginning of the 21st century, highlights certain issues of state regulation in the field of language education in Canada. The socio-political context of the development of multilingualism in Canada is analyzed and the stages of formation and development of a multilingual society are determined.The work reveals the peculiarities of the organization of L1, L2 and FL learning at various levels of the Canadian education system. The conceptual ideas of language learning in Canadian pedagogical research are defined; the specifics of language training of citizens in the Canadian education system, taking into account the bilingual nature of society, are identified; the newest methods and trends in development of language education in Canada are reviewed.On the basis of a comparison of the language training practice in Ukraine and Canada, certain elements of the positive Canadian experience have been identified, which are expedient to use in the national education system in the conditions of the creation of the European context of language education.

SURVEY OF COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY PRACTICE IN UKRAINE AND ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL DIAGNOSTIC REFERENCE LEVELS FOR MOST COMMON CT EXAMINATIONS OF ADULTS.

This study reports results of the first nationwide survey of computed tomography (CT) practice in Ukraine and proposed national diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) for common CT examinations. The collected data included characteristics of CT scanners, frequency of CT exams per anatomical region, dose indices CTDIvol and dose-length product (DLP). National DRLs were proposed at the 75th percentile of median dose indices distributions for four common CT protocols: head without contrast (brain examinations for stroke and trauma), routine chest without contrast, single-phase contrast-enhanced CT of abdomen and pelvis and oncology protocol (chest-abdomen-pelvis). The results showed 4- to 9-fold variations of median dose indices between CT scanners for the same type of examination. The following values of the CTDIvol and DLP were proposed as national DRLs: 59mGy and 1130mGy•cm for head, 14mGy and 492mGy•cm for chest, 22mGy and 845mGy•cm for abdomen/pelvis and 2120mGy•cm for oncological protocol.

Parliamentary Control of Public Finances: European Experience and Ukrainian Realities under Conditions of War and COVID-19 Pandemic

The war and the COVID-19 pandemic posed a great challenge to Ukraine from the point of view of public finances. The purpose of the study is to systematize the European experience and analyze the Ukrainian practice of implementing parliamentary control of public finances in the conditions of war and the COVID-19 pandemic. The methodological basis of the study is a systematic approach to the study of the process of parliamentary control of public finances in the conditions of war and the COVID-19 pandemic. To achieve the goal, the research used scientific methods such as: the dialectical method, the method of comparative analysis, the methods of synthesis and systematization, abstraction, generalization, and the graphic method. The mechanism of parliamentary control in the field of public finances in Ukraine is analyzed, which allows the legislative branch of power to guarantee that public funds are used responsibly and efficiently. The functions of the Accounting Chamber of Ukraine, which is an independent body that monitors and controls public finances in Ukraine, are analyzed. The problems with ensuring parliamentary control of public finances are outlined, and measures to improve the efficiency of these processes are presented. The experience of the member states of the European Union in the implementation of parliamentary control of public finances has been analyzed, which will contribute to the analysis of the possibilities of implementing successful experience in Ukrainian practice.

FINANCIAL LEVERAGES OF THE REGULATION OF RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION

The increasing level of population coverage with housing has traditionally been among the most relevant and challenging issues for the national economy of Ukraine. The military conflict, now in its second year, is changing the priorities of the public housing policy and requiring the search for new efficient methods of restoring the lost housing stock and regulating housing construction. The article addresses the volume of capital investment in residential construction in Ukraine and explains the financial framework for residential construction regulation. World best practices in the use of financial instruments in the regulation of the industry are systematized. The authors' view of the system of financial leverage of residential construction regulation is offered. The analysis of the housing affordability indicators shows that the average household income is insufficient to purchase housing and repay a mortgage. Meanwhile, the research indicates that a mortgage is one of the most common financial instruments for the purchase of housing for Ukrainians. The analysis of the level and dynamics of mortgage interest rates shows that they are 4.6 times higher in the euro than in the EU countries. The study of modern housing practices in Ukraine emphasizes the need to introduce new principles of sustainable financial regulation in residential construction. The article substantiates a set of these principles and recommends their implementation. The assessment of modern realities and consequences of hostilities in Ukraine reveals significant losses of housing stock (about 40%) and the need to change the priorities and tasks of public housing policy. An examination of the country's recovery and post-war housing programs allows the identification of the principles of transparency, openness, inclusivity, energy efficiency, resource efficiency, and sustainability as key strategic priorities in financial regulation.

ЗАРУБІЖНИЙ ДОСВІД ФУНКЦІОНУВАННЯ ПЕНІТЕНЦІАРНИХ СИСТЕМ: ПЕРСПЕКТИВИ ВДОСКОНАЛЕННЯ ЗАКОНОДАВСТВА УКРАЇНИ

The article analyzes advanced practices of the functioning of penitentiary systems in foreign countries. Attention was focused on such aspects as: the expediency of using deprivation of liberty as the main form of punishment, the types of institutions for the execution of punishment, the functioning of state and private institutions of deprivation of liberty and the expediency of introducing a similar practice in Ukraine, professional training of personnel of institutions of deprivation of liberty. In particular, it was established that such type of punishment as deprivation of liberty is not an effective measure, as there is a probability of repeated crimes. This led to the analysis of the experience of applying criminal punishments associated with deprivation of liberty in those foreign countries where recidivism after release has a fairly low share of all crime. Due to repeated statements about the creation of private prisons in Ukraine, special attention was paid to this issue. Countries where the practice of private prisons has already been tested (USA, Great Britain, Australia) were taken as an example, and issues that should be paid special attention to when introducing this institution in our country were summarized. Taking into account the fact that the personnel of the penal institutions are constantly in contact with the convicted person due to the performance of their official duties, the issue of his professional training is highlighted as important. In this aspect, the preparation for the humanization of personnel education and the technology of combining theory and practice with the introduction of progressive experience of penitentiary activity deserve further analysis and implementation. It is clear that it is impossible to fully borrow foreign experience in the application of deprivation of liberty and serving a sentence, but the isolated issues must be taken into account when implementing progressive practices into national legislation. Key words: penitentiary system; criminal law; execution of punishments; convicts; probation; institutions of execution of punishments; national legislation; implementation.

PROTECTION OF THE RIGHT TO HOUSING: CONSTITUTIONAL AND LEGAL PRINCIPLES AND COURT PRACTICE

The article examines the issues of the current state of regulatory regulation of the right to housing, substantiates the complex nature of this right, the protection of which is possible only by joint means of constitutional, criminal, administrative, civil and housing law. The need for an urgent update of specialized housing legislation is emphasized, in particular the development and adoption of the Housing Code of Ukraine, which would correspond to the current conditions of the socio-economic and political development of our country. One of the most important tasks that needs to be solved in the new Housing Code of Ukraine is the problem of a terminological nature, which is expressed in the need to define the very concept of “housing”, the absence of which leads to violations and abuses by the public authorities. No less necessary is the problem of clearly regulating the concepts of “social housing” and “official housing”, which also require improvement of the mechanisms for their implementation and protection. The positions of the judiciary regarding the protection of the right to housing are analyzed on the basis of individual decisions of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine and the Supreme Court, which makes it possible to ascertain the approximation of national judicial ractice in this field to the relevant international standards. The article demonstrates that the constitutional-legal mechanism for the protection of the right to housing has a complex nature, which is why it cannot be reduced only to the protection of property rights by civil law means. We consider the right to housing one of the basic natural human rights, which consists in the ability to have one’s own space for a dignified existence, inviolable from other subjects. Based on the analysis of the latest trends in judicial practice in Ukraine, it has been proven that international, in particular, European standards have a significant influence on national judicial practice regarding the protection of the right to housing, as well as the active application of the principles of nondiscrimination, the rule of law and the priority of human rights over the interests of the state in this area.

The detrimental consequences of two consecutive disasters impacting cytopathology in Ukraine: COVID followed by thewar.

The Covid-19 pandemic and ongoing war in Ukraine caused unprecedented disruption in healthcare, including cytopathology activities. This paper elucidates the effect of two consecutive disasters-the COVID-19 pandemic followed by the war-on cytopathology practice in Ukraine through a single-centre retrospective study. Total testing volumes, geographic distribution, and indicators of laboratory operations were assessed during three periods of 3 months each: the first 3 months of the acute phase of the war (March-May 2022, period 1); summer (June-August 2022, period 2); and the fall (September-November 2022, period 3, associated with massive attacks on the energy infrastructure in Ukraine). These data were compared with the corresponding periods in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, and in 2021, the post-lockdown period. The ongoing war in Ukraine has caused a dramatic disruption in routine health maintenance and cytological practice. A net decline in both PAP testing and non-gynaecological pathology was associated with a geographic redistribution of cytopathological testing, and an increase in the rate of abnormal sample reporting. Despite these challenges, cytopathology practice in Ukraine demonstrates resilience, allowing for maintaining the healthcare system and addressing the needs of the civil population during the war. The ongoing war in Ukraine heavily affected cytological practice. The decline in PAP testing during the early period of the war was associated with an increase in the abnormal sample rate. Further study of the war's impact on the cervical pathology rate and the health of the population in the next decades is needed.

The impact of war on cytopathological practice in Ukraine

Aim: To investigate the impact of Russian invasion on Ukrainian healthcare services related to cytopathology screening and diagnostics.Methods: The workload and output of the cytopathological laboratory located in Kyiv before and during 8 months of Russian invasion were analyzed. The laboratory performance was assessed by the total number of cytologic cases, the turn-around time (TAT) index, and the percentage of timely reported test results. The geographic distribution of cases was also analyzed.Results: There was a significant decline in the workload of the laboratory during the first two months of the war, and the numbers of cytopathology specimens fell to less than one third of prewar levels, and the TAT was prolonged. Since May 2022, the efficiency and quality of cytopathologic testing has been largely restored in most parts of Ukraine, only to be affected again by increased Russian bombardment toward the end of summer 2022. The number of cytology specimens was reduced and the source of cytology specimens changed from the prewar conditions reflecting the relocation of the CSD Lab to western Ukraine.Conclusion: Cytolopathological screening and diagnostics were seriously disrupted in Ukraine during the Russian invasion resulting in a decreased volume of cytology specimens received in the CSD Lab during the early months of the war. By adapting to the war conditions and reorganizing the cytology services, CSD Lab has continued providing cytology services at a level of efficiency similar to those of the prewar period. However, the volume of cytology specimens remains much smaller than before war, indicating that the cytology services have been adversely affected by the war.