Institutional aspects of informational interaction with communities of temporary occupied territories

Abstract

The article examines the institutional aspects of digital interaction between Ukrainian public authorities and communities residing in temporarily occupied territories. The relevance of the study is determined by the need to preserve sustainable communication between the state and citizens who remain under occupation, to ensure access to reliable information, to maintain humanitarian and social ties, and to create preconditions for the future reintegration of these territories into the political, legal and socio-economic space of Ukraine. The paper argues that under wartime conditions digital communication should be considered not only as a technical or administrative tool but also as an important component of the humanitarian policy of the state. In circumstances of restricted territorial control, risks of persecution by occupation administrations, disrupted access to public institutions, and large-scale forced displacement, digital instruments become one of the few available channels through which the state can maintain contact with citizens, provide information support, and ensure continuity of public services. Particular attention is paid to the role of state digital platforms, electronic public services, integrated state registers and communication tools such as secure online channels and messaging platforms. The study demonstrates that these instruments can perform several interconnected functions: informational, administrative, social-humanitarian and, to some extent, medical. Through such mechanisms, citizens may obtain information about legal procedures, social guarantees, property rights, compensation opportunities, healthcare access and other forms of state support without direct physical contact with public institutions. The article also analyses the experience of internal displacement caused by Russian aggression since 2014 and after the full-scale invasion of 2022. It is shown that despite mass displacement and prolonged occupation, many citizens have preserved social, family, economic and informational ties with Ukraine. This creates practical grounds for the development of a targeted institutional model of digital interaction focused on supporting communities from temporarily occupied territories. As a result, the author proposes to consider digital communication with temporarily occupied territories as a specific sphere of public governance that requires a combination of technological solutions, legal regulation, institutional coordination, information security standards and humanitarian sensitivity. The implementation of such an approach can strengthen the connection between the state and citizens, reduce informational isolation, and support long-term reintegration policy.