Center for Defense Reforms (CDR)
The Center for Defense Reforms (CDR) is an independent think tank specialising in national security, defense, intelligence and international affairs since 2014.
The Center provides analytical, advisory, educational, research and management support to Ukrainian government institutions, government and security agencies of NATO and European Union member states, and other countries belonging to the coalition supporting Ukraine.
CDR carries out a range of projects in support of, and in cooperation with, NATO and EU institutions, as well as relevant government bodies of individual member states.
Key Areas of Activity
The Center’s work encompasses several interconnected areas:
Security, defense and intelligence sector reform, including the development of institutional models, improvement of governance and management systems, and development of essential capabilities.
Analytical support to intelligence and security organisations, including the introduction of advanced analytical methodologies, open-source intelligence (OSINT), strategic foresight and decision-support tools.
Independent OSINT investigations into malign and hostile activities conducted by the Russian Federation and its allies, covering sanctions evasion, covert financial and economic networks, sabotage, influence operations, electoral interference, intelligence agent networks and other elements of hybrid warfare.
Continuous horizon scanning of the Russian Federation and the wider security environment associated with it, aimed at the early identification of emerging threats, trends, weak signals and opportunities.
Professional training and capacity building for public-sector personnel, particularly in intelligence analysis, OSINT, strategic foresight, interagency cooperation and countering hybrid threats.
A distinct area of CDR’s work involves turning analytical findings and OSINT investigations into actionable intelligence and evidence that international partners can use to support sanctions designations, criminal investigations and judicial proceedings, asset freezes and seizures, the exposure of Russian covert operations, and measures to disrupt or neutralise the individuals and organisations involved.
Training and Institutional Development Programmes
The Center delivers specialised training programmes for special advisers and deputy heads of central government authorities responsible for international and interagency cooperation in the early detection and analysis of hybrid threats, as well as the coordination of interagency responses.
CDR also trains OSINT investigators and intelligence analysts. Its training programme goes beyond methodologies for information collection, verification and analysis. It also covers the preparation and presentation of investigative findings in accordance with standards that enable international partners to use them in sanctions decisions, judicial proceedings, criminal investigations and other practical response measures.
The Center has developed and is implementing a comprehensive programme in strategic foresight, strategic planning and situational awareness. The programme integrates advanced foresight methodologies, scenario analysis, artificial intelligence and collective forecasting to strengthen strategic decision-making and institutional responsiveness.
Through these activities, the Center for Defense Reforms brings together applied research, OSINT capabilities, reform support, institutional capacity building, strategic foresight and professional training. It operates at the intersection of Ukraine’s national security sector and the international security and intelligence community, bridging analytical expertise, institutional development and practical security cooperation.