Ukraine’s National Cybersecurity Team participated in the European Cybersecurity Challenge 2025 for the first time ever

From October 6 to October 9 the European Cybersecurity Challenge (ECSC), the biggest continental cybersecurity competition connecting young specialists from all the Europe was held in Warsaw. More than 400 participants from 39 countries participated this year, and for the first time the Ukraine’s National Cybersecurity Team also joined them.

«It is a great honour for us to represent Ukraine on such a high level. Because this is actually the 11^th annual edition of the competition. We felt that we have got into a part of the European cybersecurity community. The experience that we`ve got is priceless, and now we really know how to move forward, towards the victory», the captain of the Team PAVLO LOVYHIN says.

Ukraine’s team was created according to the results of the National Technological Sport Championship of Capture the Flag (CTF) discipline. The debutants could represent our country with an impressive dignity, occupying the place # 31 among the strongest national cybersecurity teams in Europe. The first place was destined to Italy, the second one was destined to Denmark, and the third one, to Germany.  

This event has been an opportunity for educational and training meetings of the international level, which made it possible not only to compete with leading European specialists, but also to see from the inside how similar — championships are organised in both technical and organisational aspects.

«We perceive this participation primarily as a powerful learning opportunity. They saw how European-level tournaments work, got to know teams from other countries, and learned about their training methods. This experience will help us develop our own initiatives and prepare Ukrainian competitions according to international standards», — noted Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports VITALY LAVROV.

Rallying tests

The competition was held in Capture the Flag (CTF) — format, the participants solved tasks in web security, cryptography, digital forensics, reverse engineering, network analysis and applied security. Each stage required team coherence, resilience and creative thinking.

The preparation of our national team took place in a mixed format. Jeopardy

tasks — online on the platform at the Ukrainian cyber training ground Cyber Range UA, attack/defence — offline based on SET University and the ECSC2025 platform. According to the head trainer of the National Cyber Competition Team of Ukraine, KYRYLO TKACHOV, teamwork was at a very high level — felt mutual support, trust and a common goal:

«We can already see in which direction to move on. We will improve strategies and tactics so that each subsequent performance of the Ukrainian national team at international tournaments is stronger. This is painstaking work, but it is with such steps that the path to future victories begins.

The presence of the Ukrainian cyber team at the European Cybersecurity Challenge became an important stage in Ukraine’s integration into the European cyber security community. Despite the challenges of wartime, Ukrainian youth demonstrate a high level of expertise, a desire to learn and a willingness to adopt international experience.

«We didn’t just take part in the — tournament, we laid the foundation for future international cooperation in the field of technology sports and cyber security. Ukraine has the potential not only to compete, but also to hold similar championships in itself», — emphasised YEVHEN VLADIMIROV, head of the National Committee for Cyber Competitions of Ukraine.

Ukraine is among the nominees for ECSC 2026

During the competition, a meeting of representatives of national teams and organisers took place in Warsaw, where Ukraine submitted an application for the European Cybersecurity Challenge 2026. This is a very ambitious step for the Ukrainian cyber community and the entire country.

The organisation of such a tournament requires a huge effort and consideration of security risks, but despite this, the ECSC executive committee and ENISA representatives supported the initiative.

The State, the business and the community acting jointly to support the Team

It is worthy to mention that the National Cybersecurity Team is participated in the European Cybersecurity Challenge under the auspices of the Federation of Technological Sports of Ukraine, the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, the State Service for Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine and the National Cyber Security Coordination Center at the National Security Council of Ukraine. It has been possible thanks to the support of the following: the EU4DigitalUA project, financed by the European Union and implemented by FIAP, the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, the Department of Counterintelligence Protection of State Interests in the Field of Information Security of the Security Service of Ukraine, CSO «А».