On the issue of assessing the vulnerability of critical infrastructure objects in wartime conditions

In modern conditions, especially during wartime, the issue of protecting critical infrastructure is of paramount importance. Assessing the vulnerability of such facilities allows identifying weaknesses in the security system, preventing potential attacks and ensuring effective planning of response measures within the framework of ensuring state security. Despite the relevance of this issue, Ukraine currently needs to improve a comprehensive methodology for assessing the vulnerability of critical infrastructure facilities adapted to martial law conditions. Existing approaches are fragmented and, in some cases, outdated, having been developed in the context of peacetime. In addition, the practical implementation of infrastructure protection measures is often not systematic, which can affect the overall level of national security. Thus, there is an urgent need for a scientifically based approach to assessing the vulnerability of CI that would take into account the specifics of modern military threats, include interdisciplinary methods of analysis and provide a basis for decision-making in the field of state security. Thus, the assessment of the vulnerability of critical infrastructure is of particular relevance in the current context. The assessment of the vulnerability of critical infrastructure facilities involves an analysis of their security and physical safety, which includes physical protection measures, access control, surveillance and alarm systems, as well as effective interaction between the facility's security forces and the entities of the National System of Critical Infrastructure Protection of Ukraine, including the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Security Service of Ukraine, the National Guard of Ukraine, the National Police of Ukraine, the State Emergency Service, the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, local authorities, and other relevant entities. The article discusses the issue of assessing the level of vulnerability of critical infrastructure facilities and proposes a systematic and multidimensional approach to threat analysis. The possible consequences of damage to critical infrastructure for the population, including the risks of social and political destabilization, are proved. Methods for assessing the vulnerability of critical infrastructure facilities and examples of their vulnerability in wartime are presented. The results of international practice are presented and an analysis of potential threats to critical infrastructure is conducted.