The Head of State noted that military intelligence took an important place in the history of national defence of Ukraine being a stronghold of our statehood and an instrument to defend our national interests from foreign threats.

In present complicated conditions, intelligence managed to accumulate its capacities, efficiently redistribute forces and allocate them to the fulfillment of the most important tasks in the struggle against the aggressor. Risking their lives every day, demonstrating resilience, courage and heroism, intelligence officers perform military tasks and methodically reveal criminal activities of Russian occupation troops in Donetsk and Luhansk regions and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.

“Intelligence officers are the elite of nation, elite of the Armed Forces and it is a pity that we cannot show your face to people. This is the price you pay for a very important work for the state,” Petro Poroshenko said.

The President informed that 162 intelligence officers had been killed and 632 had been wounded during the holding of anti-terrorist operation. The attendees honored memory of the fallen heroes with a moment of silence.

Timely exposure of future plans and intentions of the enemy regarding the continuation of hybrid aggression against our country is the main task for the military intelligence of Ukraine, as stated by the President.

“Based on the information of the military intelligence, undeniable evidences of direct participation of the Russian Armed Forces in the aggression against Ukraine are demonstrated to the international community,” Petro Poroshenko stressed.

As for the future expectations from the military intelligence in the framework of the implementation of the provisions of the National Security Strategy of Ukraine, the President stressed the need to bring the structure of military intelligence into conformity with NATO standards taking into account the experience of hostilities in eastern Ukraine. It is also necessary to expand human intelligence capabilities, build capacity of electronic, space and geospatial intelligence, primarily in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, strengthen analytical activities and establish cooperation with special services of the countries-members of NATO and the European Union.

“Experience gained since the beginning of the Russian armed aggression should be taken into account when drafting new Law of Ukraine “On Intelligence Activities”. The work over the given law is about to complete. The intelligence system of the Armed Forces of Ukraine also needs improvement. Respective tasks have been outlined in the Strategic Defence Bulletin endorsed by the NATO member-states at the Warsaw Summit,” the Head of State noted.

Today, Petro Poroshenko visited the Technical Intelligence Center of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine that processes information on the activities of the Armed Forces of the country-aggressor in Crimea and the occupied territories of Ukraine. The President examined new intelligence means. New facts of violation of the Minsk agreements revealed by modern means of intelligence have been shown to the President.

According to the President, establishment of the Center is a significant contribution to the development of the unified system of state intelligence. “Actually, this is the beginning of intelligence information collecting and processing automation. Further accumulation of the opportunities of this center will allow the integration of data extracted by all kinds of technical intelligence (space, air and radio electronic) and its transfer to the General Staff of the AFU, Ministry of Defence of Ukraine and Chief Situation Center of Ukraine. I am confident that the Technical Intelligence Center will become one of the main components of the future unified automated system of military intelligence of Ukraine,” the Supreme Commander-in-Chief noted.

The President expressed gratitude to the intelligence officers for brave performance of combat tasks near Donetsk and Luhansk airports, battles for Savur-Mohyla, Sloviansk, Kramatorsk, Debaltseve etc. He highly appreciated the work of military intelligence veterans, thanks him “a new generation of highly professional operations officers, analytics and experts of technical intelligence means are grown”.

“Intelligence officers have always been in trouble spots,” the President said.

“I believe that the younger generation of intelligence officers will augment the glory of military intelligence, which is an example of professionalism, valor and honor. I am sure that it will continue to selflessly protect the interests of the Ukrainian people. I am confident that your best features and great potential, patriotism and responsibility, high professionalism and selfless service will help overcome all the challenges and threats. I am grateful to all intelligence officers for their commitment, courage and heroism in a difficult but honorable issue of defending the Homeland,” the President said.