New Tools for Influencing Electoral Processes: Study Presented in Kyiv

On 4 November 2026, a study entitled “New Tools for Influencing Electoral Processes” was presented. The study was prepared by the Centre for Security Studies “CENSS” with the support of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung’s Office in Ukraine.

The event was opened by Dr. Jan-Philipp Wölbern, Deputy Director of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung’s Office in Ukraine, and Dr. Vadym Chernysh, Chair of the Governing Board of the Centre for Security Studies “CENSS”. The study’s key findings were presented by Viktoriia Voronina, Executive Director of the Centre, and Dr. Bohdan Bondarenko, an expert in constitutional law and security. Dr. Vadym Chernysh also provided comments on the findings.

The presentation brought together representatives of Ukrainian government and law enforcement agencies, academic institutions, civil society organisations, foreign diplomatic missions and international organisations. Participants actively engaged in the discussion of the study’s findings, sharing valuable comments and observations based on their professional experience.

During the discussion, participants examined new tools for interfering in electoral processes, including the use of digital platforms to manipulate public opinion, the covert financing of political promotion and the spread of disinformation.

For the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, free and fair elections are one of the fundamental conditions for democracy. Democratic institutions require not only effective functioning but also protection against external interference. Today, hybrid threats and attempts to influence electoral processes pose a serious challenge to Ukraine, European Union member states and other countries. It is therefore essential to study emerging methods of interference, understand the associated risks and develop effective mechanisms to counter them.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Jan-Philipp Wölbern emphasised the importance of examining the experiences of Moldova and Romania in order to strengthen the resilience of future electoral processes in Ukraine. The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung will continue to support Ukraine on its democratic path, as well as efforts to protect democratic values and freedoms that form the foundation of the European community.

Key Findings and Recommendations of the Study

Based on their analysis of electoral processes in Romania and Moldova, the authors formulated a number of recommendations for Ukraine:

• Identify legal and institutional vulnerabilities in the electoral system in advance. Conduct an audit of legislation and the mandates of government institutions before the electoral process begins, and prepare the necessary legislative amendments based on its findings.

• Strengthen monitoring of the digital environment. Monitor not only political advertising but also covert financing of content promotion, the activities of influencers and coordinated networks of social media accounts.

• Clearly define the mandates and responsibilities of government institutions. Ensure coordination among electoral, law enforcement, intelligence and cybersecurity agencies, and establish clear procedures for decision-making and cooperation with digital platforms.

• Establish systematic cooperation with digital platforms before the election campaign begins. Designate contact points, set response deadlines for requests from government authorities and establish cooperation mechanisms. Conduct joint preparedness exercises with platforms and international partners.

• Introduce a comprehensive six-stage model for election preparedness: vulnerability assessment; legislative improvements; allocation of institutional roles; exercises with platforms and organisation of international support; monitoring and evidence gathering; and coordination throughout the electoral period.

• Deepen cooperation with the European Centre for Democratic Resilience. The authors recommend that the Government of Ukraine initiate a joint European project to protect post-war elections, involving the relevant government authorities, the Central Election Commission and the Centre for Countering Disinformation.

The study emphasises that the key condition for effectively protecting elections is to have all necessary mechanisms in place before the electoral process begins. Romania’s experience has shown that responding to threats only after they have materialised may leave the state with just one last resort: annulling the elections.

The full study, “New Tools for Influencing Electoral Processes”, is available for download in the panel on the right.