UKRAINE’S EXPERIENCE | The functioning of Point of Invincibility requires cooperation
The seminar featured presentations by local officials from various regions of Ukraine. “It is critical to have representation from various regions because Ukraine is a large country and local authorities’ experience varies slightly depending on their location. The war has affected all regions of Ukraine, but people near the frontline or in Western Ukraine have different needs in certain areas,” said Dr. Mariia Tyschenko, head of NGO Poruch (Ukraine), a PIMA project partner, at the seminar. However, crisis centres, or Point of Invincibility as they are known in Ukraine, are spread across the country and provide critical support to the population during the war.
“Estonia and Sweden are both actively developing civil protection, including crisis centres. However, in order to achieve the best possible outcome, we must learn from the Ukrainian experience. This is what the PIMA project is all about,” said Anne-May Nagel, co-founder of the Crisis Research Centre. ‘The need for cooperation was also important – in Ukraine, companies, local governments, the Ukrainian Rescue Service, NGOs, and the community itself all contribute to setting up, opening, and maintaining the centres – and we need similar solutions in Estonia and Sweden to make the centres work in practice,’ she added.
The seminar also covered the services provided by Ukraine’s centres. While the ability to charge electronic devices, gain access to information and the internet, and obtain food and hot drinks was critical at the start of the war, the services provided by the centres have since expanded. In addition to the services listed above, many of the centres provide initial psychological support, community events, and essential crisis skills. However, once again, regionality must be considered; while the emphasis is on basic survival services near the front lines, a broader range of services can be provided further afield. Flexibility and adaptability are therefore important.
“We will continue to investigate the functioning of centres and will present a report in late autumn summarising the main lessons learnt from Ukraine, Estonia, and Sweden. Dr. Tom Nilsson, a lecturer at Malmö University and the project’s lead partner. The project team hopes that these findings will be useful to all countries developing different types of crisis centres.
The Swedish Institute funds the PIMA project, which allows municipalities in Estonia, Sweden, and Ukraine to share their experience and knowledge.
Photos: June 9 online-seminar (Poruch/Crisis Research Centre, 2025).
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