Territorial Defense Research Articles

Відносини по лінії центр-периферія в Україні: ресурси підвищення стійкості держави

This article identifies key factors that helped reducing the conflict potential in centre-periphery relations in Ukraine and enabled their contribution to state resilience in 2022–2023. The analytical framework is based on rational choice institutionalism and cleavage theory. The article argues that the conflict potential of center-periphery relations in the past was triggered by political competition between key central political actors for a subordination of subnational political actors, in order to strengthen their own positions in the Center. The article specifies two factors that helped reducing the conflict potential of centre-periphery relations and enabled a positive input from them into Ukraine’s state resilience in 2022–2023. The first factor is an institutional one, i. e. the decentralization reform (2014–2020), which strengthened duties and resources of local self-government rather than regional administrations. The second factor is a non-institutional one; it is a „nationalization” of electoral behaviour in democratic contests that led to the emergence of a dominant central political actor and turn away from competitive struggles between central political actors with the help of subnational actors. A shift in the pattern of center-periphery relations was visible in changing interaction of the dominant central political actor with subnational actors during the 2020 regional elections. Still, the article acknowledges that such institutionalized and non-institutionalized changes cannot automatically neutralize clan or oligarchic structures at the local level. Finally, the article identified three types of concrete contributions of Ukraine's new center-periphery relations to increasing state resilience in 2022–2023. They happened via enabling the input of local self-government into territorial defense, the support of internally displaced persons, and Ukraine’s recovery from the Russia’s war.

Local and range-wide distribution of song types suggest Ovenbirds (Seiurus aurocapilla) have song neighborhoods but not macro-dialects

The song systems of oscine passerines (songbirds) are complex and diverse. Because songs are used for both mate attraction and territory defense and are therefore important signals for survival and reproduction, comprehensive knowledge of within and among species song structure and distribution is informative for understanding the evolution of song repertoires and vocal behaviour. In this study, we explored variation in the song structure of the Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla), a widespread warbler (Family Parulidae) found in North American forests. We analyzed recordings from the 2021 breeding season to assess song type variation at a local (n ​= ​158 birds; Sault Ste. Marie, ON) and breeding range scale (n ​= ​512 birds; eBird). We characterized the local song types and tested whether Ovenbirds share song types with their neighbors more often than expected by chance. We then characterized song types of Ovenbirds across the breeding range to determine whether any geographic pattern of song clustering exists (i.e., macro-dialects). We found 10 distinct song types and some evidence for song type clustering at the local study site (i.e., song neighborhoods). We found 7 of those 10 song types throughout the breeding range and identified an additional 24 types that were not recorded in our local population. We found no evidence for song dialects across the Ovenbird breeding range. This study contributes to our understanding of Ovenbird song while simultaneously adding to our understanding of geographic structuring of warbler repertoires. Our work contributes to delineating a more comprehensive understanding of factors affecting dialect development for this diverse group of songbirds.

Russia’s Arctic policy: Upcoming change?

Abstract Russia’s Arctic policy since 2008 has been influenced by two competing foreign policy lines (discourses): the “Arctic as a resource base” and the “sovereignty discourse”. The “Arctic as a resource base” has been the dominant one since the first Russian Arctic Strategy in 2008. It is primarily about exploiting the vast oil and gas resources estimated to be located there, as well as turn the Northern Sea Route into a “global transport corridor”. In Russia’s Arctic Strategy of 2020, however, there is enhanced emphasis on sovereignty and power balancing in Russian Arctic policy. And the focus on sovereignty was heightened with the amendments to Russia’s Arctic Strategy in March 2023. This increased emphasis on sovereignty, territorial defence and balance of power in Russian Arctic policy is likely to be further reinforced by the growing great-power competition between the USA and Russia, which has gained new momentum following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Importance of urbanized wetlands environments in the reproduction of avifauna, city of Martil (Region of Tetouan) in Morocco

This study focused on the significance of urban and peri-urban wetlands in the Martil plain of Tetouan, Morocco, for bird reproduction. Conducted over a two-year period, the research employed fixed-site counting and weekly visits to assess reproductive indicators such as chicks, nests, courtship displays, and territorial defense. The findings demonstrated that these wetland environments play a vital role in the reproduction of 37 bird species from 15 families, including species of national importance, declining Mediterranean species, vulnerable species according to the IUCN, and rare breeding species. These results underscore the critical importance of conserving and sustainably managing these wetland areas. By prioritising the preservation of urban and peri-urban wetlands, Morocco can contribute to global biodiversity conservation efforts while addressing the challenges of urbanization and climate change

Does human disturbance affect physiological traits of Two-banded Plovers nesting on an urban beach?

In coastal Patagonia, Argentina, shorebird breeding habitats overlap with high levels of human recreational activities, such as dog-walking and driving motorized vehicles. We assessed physiological traits related to body condition, nutritional metabolites, cellular immunity, and stress responses of adult Two-banded Plovers (<em>Charadrius falklandicus</em>) in northern Chubut, Patagonia, Argentina. We examined blood samples from 46 individuals captured at an urban (“disturbed” treatment, n = 28) and a rural beach (“control” treatment, n = 18) between 2016 and 2017. We studied (1) body condition by size-correcting body mass to wing-chord lengths, (2) nutritional metabolites, such as the haematocrit, glucose, and concentrations of triglycerides, cholesterol, and total proteins, (3) cellular immunity by counting total leukocytes, and the percentages of heterophils, lymphocytes, eosinophils, and monocytes, and (4) stress responses by obtaining the heterophil/lymphocyte ratio and quantifications of plasma baseline corticosterone. We determined the overall support of predictor variables: treatment, day of the year (DOY), interaction DOY × treatment, year, and sex on a multivariate assessment using MANOVA. Body condition and triglycerides decreased, and monocytes increased, during the breeding season at the control site (DOY × treatment). Body condition significantly differed by sex, with males exhibiting lower values than females. Triglycerides, cholesterol, and total leukocyte count significantly differed between years, showing higher values in 2017. The multivariate model showed the greatest variation only explanatory in DOY (n = 0.67, P < 0.001) and year (<em>n²</em> = 0.62, P = 0.001). Overall, birds exhibited depleted body condition and triglycerides throughout the season at the control site: a pattern likely biased by the capture date. Contrary to the disturbed site, most samples at the control site were collected from mid-to-late breeding season each year, and most birds were likely renesting. Sex differences observed for body condition suggest greater energy-costly reproduction activities for males, including territory defense and courtship behaviors. No significant differences were found in stress responses, and based on observations in the field, birds may tolerate human disturbance. Habituation was a previously suggested coping mechanism for reducing the costs of repeated exposure to non-lethal stimuli, such as human activity. Given that no treatment effects on physiological traits were observed, beyond triglycerides, our results may still help to improve the decisions of wildlife managers toward protecting beach-nesting areas by preventing impacts to nests, chicks, and pairs during their breeding season.

ІНСТИТУЦІЙНІ ЗМІНИ ЛУЦЬКОЇ МІСЬКОЇ РАДИ В УМОВАХ ДЕЦЕНТРАЛІЗАЦІЇ

The analysis of the evolution of the institutional structure of the Lutsk City Council in the conditions of administrative and territorial reform on the basis of decentralization in 2014–2023 has been carried out. Quantitative and qualitative changes of its executive committee, departments, administrations, offices and commissions, depending on the socio-economic development of the country and the policy of the central government have been shown. Attention has been focused on the processes of decentralization, which are accompanied by the transfer of powers of state authorities to localities. The progress of the implementation of the tasks «Concept of reforming local self-government and organization of territorial power in Ukraine», the requirements of the laws of Ukraine «On access to public information», «On state registration of legal entities and individuals», «On the authorization system in the sphere of economic activity», Resolutions of the Cabinet of Ministers «On the town-planning cadastre», etc. has been revealed. The positive changes that took place during the researched period in the activities of the Lutsk City Council in the direction of greater transparency, controllability and accountability to the territorial community have been proven. The positive experience of the city council in bringing services closer to the city population through a specially created department − the Center for the provision of administrative services in the city of Lutsk has been attested. With the aim of providing the Armed Forces of Ukraine, territorial defense units, other military formations, internally displaced persons and communities in need of humanitarian aid with food and non-food items, the Lutsk central aid point has been operating in the city since February 25, 2022.

The Challenges for Polish Territorial Defence in the Face of Hybrid Threats from the Russian Federation

The Challenges for Polish Territorial Defence in the Face of Hybrid Threats from the Russian Federation

Integration of the medical care organization system of the Ukraine’s territorial defense forces into the unified healthcare space of Ukraine

Integration of the medical care organization system of the Ukraine’s territorial defense forces into the unified healthcare space of Ukraine

Individuální a kolektivní ochrana

The current international military-political situation in the world, when the war in Ukraine has been going on for almost a year, shows the urgency of the issue of protecting the population. Moreover, one of the main measures to protect the population is individual and collective protection. This book takes the reader on a short historical tour of the genesis of individual and collective protection, introduces the currently established means of protection of the respiratory tract and body (skin), their development, testing, storage and treatment. In the professional publication, the authors also describe the basic means of decontamination and the medical equipment of the individual. A comprehensive part of the book is devoted to the issue of biological agents and medical and veterinary measures in emergency and crisis situations. Finally, yet importantly, the issue of sheltering the population in shelters, principles of construction of improvised shelters and activities in them is widely described in the publication. The authors also describe in detail the individual civil protection facilities and the main principles of operation of the staff of these facilities in crises. Emphasis is placed on activities in staff protective equipment dispensaries. This professional book is intended for the lay and professional public. This publication can be utilized as a source of information in the framework of the preparation of the population for the defense of the state, units of the Territorial Defense troops (Active Reserve Force), the state administration and territorial self-government, the components of the integrated rescue system and the professional staff of the civil protection facilities in crises.

Suspension of a labor contract

The article deals with the problems of legal regulation of the statics and dynamics of labor relations. An analysis of scientific research on the suspension of an employment contract is carried out. The necessity of fixing the suspension of the employment contract as an institution or sub-institution of labor law is substantiated. It is proposed to fix the legal definition of the relevant concept in a separate article of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, indicating the main forms of suspension of the employment contract through references to other articles of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation. It is argued that the institution of suspension of an employment contract is supplemented with norms regarding workers involved in the performance of work in order to ensure the defense of the country and the security of the state, their enrollment in special formations during the period of mobilization and in wartime, involved in the performance of work for the needs of defense, liquidation of the consequences of the use of enemy of weapons, restoration of damaged (destroyed) economic facilities, life support systems and military facilities, in the fight against fires, epidemics and epizootics, joining special formations and units of territorial defense during the period of martial law, as well as those called up for military service.

The main vectors of changes in local budgets in the context of budget decentralization and martial law

Implementation of regional problems of socio-economic development of territories depends on the efficiency of local authorities. An important factor in the implementation of these programs is the sufficiency of their own financial resources at their disposal. This problem had to be overcome by the reform of budget decentralization, according to which each local authority should provide a decent level of primary and basic public services for the population. Russian military aggression added even more problems to local communities: causing mass migration and stopping business, the need to solve humanitarian, communal, migration problems, and rebuild destroyed housing. In 2015–2022, the structure of local budget revenues changed: the share of transfers in revenues and the share of subventions in the total amount of transfers decreased. This was influenced by the following factors: changes in the payment of a single tax, personal income tax deductions to local budgets, cancellation of medical and some social subsidies, cancellation of transfer of reverse subsidy. Factors that influenced the structure of the revenue base of local budgets also affected their spending part. The change in the composition of interbudgetary transfers is directly related to the reduction of spending powers of local authorities and the change in the mechanism of financing budget programs in the field of education, health care, social protection and social security. However, the decrease in the share of local budget expenditures on the social sphere occurred at a slower pace than the decrease in the amount of subventions to local budgets for these purposes. This indicates the growing role of local budgets in financing programs of local importance and is a positive result of the budget decentralization reform. The full-scale war of 2022 showed how financially stable local authorities are and whether they are able to withstand any changes in the financing of their powers with dignity. After all, the local government, in addition to continuing to provide public services at a high level, has taken on additional responsibilities: ensuring territorial defense activities, assisting the Armed Forces, supporting relocated businesses, assisting internally displaced persons, preparing shelters, etc. Of course, such opportunities were influenced by the reform of budget decentralization, which enabled local authorities to obtain their own sources of financial resources, which played a key role in facing challenges.

Meta-analysis of avian behavioural responses to aircraft noise

Natural environments are now seriously affected by human-made noise, creating complex acoustic circumstances that are unheard of in most locations. Expansion of aero industry and increase in air traffic whether civilian or military is accompanied by large scale noise pollution and habitat disturbances. The present communication is based on meta-analysis of 47 research papers highlighting impact of aircraft noise on avian behavior and communication related to both routine and breeding activities. Aircraft acoustics have been reported to modify behavior of 22 species of birds by changing their specific song structure, communication, population abundance, territorial defence behavior, modifications to reproductive success, impaired vocalization and predator-prey interactions. Recent studies have also uncovered additional negative effects of aeroplane noise on avian behavioral responses by modifying their stress reactions, foraging activity, flight or flushing reactions and avoidance of noisy environments. The ability of bird species to counteract the masking effect of noise through changes in vocal amplitude, song and call frequency, song component redundancy, as well as temporal shifts to avoid noise have been revealed by comparative avian studies conducted in noise free environment. There seems to be a big lacuna in our understanding of influence of aircraft noise on avian community structure, intra/inter species relationships and their prey populations having possibilities of destabilizing effect on intertwined food webs. Detailed studies are required on aircraft noise versus avian population interactions so as to come up with interventions to mitigate their impacts on avian habitats, breeding potential and population abundance; in addition to reduction in noise levels in aviation, maneuvers to reduce noise during landings and take-offs, and to safeguard wildlife in airport influenced areas.

ОБҐРУНТУВАННЯ НЕОБХІДНОСТІ ЗДІЙСНЕННЯ ДОСЛІДЖЕНЬ ЩОДО ФОРМУВАННЯ ЗАГАЛЬНИХ КОМПЕТЕНТНОСТЕЙ МАЙБУТНІХ ОФІЦЕРІВ НАЦІОНАЛЬНОЇ ГВАРДІЇ УКРАЇНИ В ПРОЦЕСІ ПРОФЕСІЙНОЇ ПІДГОТОВКИ

The war has changed the environment of the service and combat activities of the officers in the National Guard of Ukraine. Today, military units perform functions of the National Guard of Ukraine that are atypical for peacetime, including participation in the implementation of the legal regime of martial law and involvement in territorial defense tasks. The new conditions of this environment include: an increase in the average age of subordinate personnel, which often exceeds the age of graduates from higher military educational institutions; the necessity to make quick decisions in conditions of uncertainty; increased responsibility for the lives and health of subordinate personnel, and more. This study was conducted to test the hypothesis of the impact of new conditions in the service and combat environment on the satisfaction of graduates from higher military educational institutions of the National Guard of Ukraine with the general competencies they have acquired. The object of the research is the results of the service and combat activities of units in the National Guard of Ukraine, which depend on the competencies of their leaders. The following research methods were used to test the hypothesis: survey, analysis, and synthesis. The survey of graduates from higher military educational institutions of the National Guard of Ukraine was conducted remotely using questionnaires created in Google Forms in April-May 2023. According to the survey results, it was found that less than one-third of the graduates are satisfied with their acquired Soft Skills, which significantly differs from similar surveys conducted during their assessment in the higher military educational institution. The analyzed survey results confirmed the hypothesis, and its synthesis resulted in the formulation of proposals for further research dedicated to determining the pedagogical conditions for the formation of general competencies of future officers in the National Guard of Ukraine in the process of professional training.

INFORMATION APPROACHES TO ANALYZING THE USE OF EDUCATIONAL SUBVENTION FUNDS FOR THE SALARIES OF PEDAGOGICAL STAFF

In order to substantiate different approaches to improving control over the use of educational subvention funds for pedagogical staff remuneration, this article examines key indicators related to the allocation of these funds for teachers' salaries throughout Ukraine and at the regional level from 2017 to 2022. Particular attention is paid to analyzing changes in the number of students and the number of pedagogical workers under the martial law. In 2022, the contingent of students receiving full general secondary education decreased by 211 thousand persons (4,72%) in Ukraine as a whole, while the actual number of pedagogical staff providing services in the field of general secondary education decreased by 22,57 thou­sand (5,08%) compared to 2021. It is determined that decentralization involves the creation of a transparent education management system, ensuring a guaranteed level of budget financing of educational services. At the same time, the full-scale military aggression in Ukraine negatively affected the functioning and financing of general secondary schools, the number of students and teachers, the state of the material and technical base, and the number of educational institutions. In this regard, the article analyzes the factors of inefficient use of educational subvention funds in 2022, as well as identifies directions of the remaining educational subvention funds transferred to the special fund of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. The authors identify the most typical reasons for the accumulation of educational subvention balances in 2022. In particular, the reduction of the allowance for the prestige of work to 5%; abolition of optional surcharges; introduction of downtime with payment of 2/3 of the official salary; granting certain teachers, at their request, unpaid leave; as well as saving funds for the purchase of school buses; the arrangement of bomb shelters; and updating the material and technical base to be used for territorial defense measures; evacuation of civilians from the area of hostilities and dangerous areas to safe places, and arrangement of places of accommodation for citizens who have left their place of residence due to the military actions.

The relevant legislative changes in the implementation of local budgets of Ukraine

This article is to study the field of implementation of local budgets, current legal regulation of budget legal relations under martial law, importance of local budgets for budget system of Ukraine.&#x0D; The principles of operative, appropriate and continuous implementation of local budgets are described and analyzed in this article. It is defined what normative changes happened in the field of implementation of local budgets.&#x0D; The creation of conditions for punctual, operative reaction to the needs of finance providing activities of territorial defense, the receiving of international finance aid from foreign communities and the influence on status of implementation of local budgets was investigated.&#x0D; Despite of the problems occurred, after Russian invasion, the fast «adaptation» to new realities happened, that significantly influence on status of implementation of local budgets.&#x0D; The article deals with the particular changes in budget legislation that concern special features of implementation of local budgets and emphasizes the formation of budget reserve, the redistribution of costs in local budget. The current particularities of implementation of local budgets are defined. It is summarized that the receiving of financial aid from foreign communities is an actual, real possibility to influence status of implementation of local budgets in part of financing outlays on urgent needs of local community.&#x0D; It is justified, the changes and simplification some of normative legal acts that regulate implementation of local budgets are crucial, because they make conditions for opportune and operational reaction on needs of provision events activities of territorial defens, protection of security and functioning of budget field, the utility companies during the martial law. It is concluded that the specified changes also have a positive effect on the work of local self-government.

Features of Psychological Stability (Resilience) of Volunteers of The Call Center of the Territorial Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the National Information Bureau

In the article, we researched the psychological resilience of the volunteers of the call center of the Territorial Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and National Informational Burau, enabling them to adapt quickly to extreme situations. A higher level of resilience in volunteers is explained by the essence of the volunteering that provides an opportunity to perceive an extreme situation, feel it, make decisions about participation and help (basic anthropological capacities), control emotions, positively reassess the situation, plan solutions, receive community support (resilient coping strategies), to balance between acceptance of conditions and the need to change something despite fear (space) due to the ability not to subjectively perceive threats to oneself in any situations (personal anxiety), as well as to understand why all this is and how personal experience is enriched (life philosophy). A recommendation is developed regarding expanding the volunteer network and its organization, simplifying access to it during extreme situations, and involvement of broader segments of the population, which will increase the psychological resilience of volunteers and society in general during martial law in Ukraine.

Public Libraries of Ukraine in Terms of the Martial State: Losses and Challenges

The purpose of the article is to research and generalize the consequences of the destruction and loss of public libraries of Ukraine during the full-scale offensive of Russia on the territory of Ukraine from February 24, 2022.&#x0D; The research methodology is based on both general scientific methods - analysis, synthesis, and informative, retrospective research methods are used, which are used to monitor the state of public libraries during the Russian military aggression on the territory of Ukraine and the occupation of certain territories from February 2022.&#x0D; The scientific novelty of the study consists in the systematization of a wide range of actual material on the state of Ukrainian libraries during the Russian military aggression; for the first time, separate statistical data and informational materials on the loss and destruction of public libraries during the full-scale offensive of the Russian Federation from February 2022 were introduced into scientific circulation.&#x0D; Conclusions. Studying the consequences of the destruction and loss of public libraries since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Russia on the territory of Ukraine, it is possible to determine the main trends:&#x0D; &#x0D; there is a reduction in the network of public libraries in all regions of Ukraine, especially in war zones;&#x0D; there are processes of destruction and damage (full or partial) of library buildings, loss of material and technical means (personal computers, duplicating equipment, multimedia equipment, furniture, etc.);&#x0D; the complete or partial loss of library funds by individual public libraries continues, especially in Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv, Donetsk and other frontline regions;&#x0D; now losses during the war are already recorded, but the determined amount of damage to public libraries is quite approximate, it will increase with the continuation of the war;&#x0D; regardless of the difficult situation in the conditions of martial law and the continuation of armed aggression, public libraries mobilized all available resources to carry out volunteer, social, psychological and informational activities.&#x0D; &#x0D; Given that libraries play a significant role in preserving national interests, the problem of protecting library funds in wartime is an important component of the Ukrainian state's cultural policy. The Ministry of Culture and Information Policy must now, without waiting for the end of the war, to develop, together with other state structures, proposals for the restoration of damaged library buildings, the preservation of existing and the creation of new funds. The main tasks of librarians should also be to preserve for future generations the memory of the heroic struggle of Ukrainians for their state during the armed Russian aggression, the systematization of documentary evidence about the combat path of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, volunteer battalions, the activities of the territorial defense, volunteers, and the facts of the crimes of the Russian aggressors during the temporary occupation of certain regions of Ukraine.

THE LAW OF UKRAINE "ON THE FUNDAMENTALS OF NATIONAL RESISTANCE" IN THE SYSTEM OF DEFENSE LEGISLATION OF UKRAINE

The article analyzes the Law of Ukraine "On the Basics of National Resistance" from the point of view of further development of defense and security legislation. This Law is considered as a complex legal act that regulates the organization and functioning of territorial defense, the resistance movement and the preparation of citizens for such activities. It is indicated that by the subject of legal regulation, this normative legal act is included in the system of defense legislation and interacts with normative legal acts that make up the security legislation. This is confirmed by the fact that, on the one hand, its provisions are aimed at providing Ukraine's defense activities with a more meaningful and comprehensive character, including by promoting defense. On the other hand, the provisions of this Law contribute to the creation of conditions for ensuring the national security of Ukraine both through strengthening defense and improving the provision of military security, and through other components of national security, in particular, through public, informational, legal and some other types of national security. Given the fact that both defense and security legislation always establish and define legal and organizational foundations (fundamentals) in the relevant spheres of social relations related to the provision of national security and defense of Ukraine, the word "fundamentals" is used in the title of this Law redundant Based on this, it is indicated that the most optimal name of this Law should be "On National Resistance". It is noted that this Law, by its subject of legal regulation, concerns the organization of national resistance, and therefore the activities of broad sections of the population. In this regard, it is indicated that the preamble of the Law should be more detailed and should disclose participation in national resistance as a form of fulfilling the constitutional obligation to protect the Motherland (Part 1 of Article 65 of the Constitution of Ukraine) and the cause of all Ukrainian people in protecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine (Part 1 of Article 17 of the Basic Law of Ukraine). At the same time, the reference to Article 65 of the Constitution of Ukraine, which establishes that the protection of the Motherland, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine is the duty of Ukrainian citizens, is conditioned by the fact that national resistance is one of the forms of protection of the Motherland as the most important constitutional duty of Ukrainian citizens

Forensic Economics Regarding Fuel Accounting in Armed Forces of Ukraine

Theoretical best practices of forensic experts on peculiarities of fuel accounting in transport and defense fields has been studied and a list of legislative and regulatory acts regulating the procedure for accounting, movement and write-off of fuel and lubricants in military units is given. The authors aimed to highlight the issue of fuel accounting in conditions of martial law and Russian military aggression, document effective use of fuel by military units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and territorial defense while carrying out combat missions. Research objects of forensic economic examinations are summarized, range of powers granted to experts while conducting such examinations is outlined. Peculiarities of the accounting and movement of military property that are characteristic of the rules for receiving, accounting, issuing and writing off material assets in Armed Forces of Ukraine are indicated. The issues and tasks solved by forensic experts while forensic economic examinations related to accounting and use of fuel by military units of Armed Forces of Ukraine are defined. The list of legislative and normative legal acts that should be guided by forensic economists in their professional activities while accounting for military property, is presented. Attention has been drawn to the unsettledness of some issues of such accounting (for example when some legislative acts have lost their validity, and new ones have not been adopted instead) causing certain difficulties. The main types of accounting of military property (quantitative and qualitative accounting; accounting of military property in numerical and value indicators) are highlighted and disclosed.

Polish Territorial Defence Forces and Innovation during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Assessment of the Potential of a Mixed-type Force in Non-military Crisis Response

Innovation can be understood in multiple ways. It can be seen as big breakthroughs and the introduction of entirely new inventions or as small, incremental changes introduced to existing products, processes, or solutions. Innovation can also be considered as a capability or a characteristic of individuals and organisations. It is viewed as one of the desired (if not crucial) aspects of functioning in a complex environment. This also refers to the armed forces and their activities during war and in response to crises. One of the biggest changes in the Polish Armed Forces in the second decade of the 21st century was the establishment of the Territorial Defence Forces (TDF), a mixed service comprising volunteer and full-time soldiers. This article aims to assess the innovative potential as well as the potential for innovation of such a mixed type of force in non-military crisis response by reviewing the key characteristics and actions carried out by the TDF.