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**1. Substance of the Act**
This Order of the State Statistics Service of Ukraine introduces significant amendments to the rules for publishing official statistical information under the conditions of a special period, state of emergency, and martial law. The document is aimed at protecting sensitive data of defense-industrial complex enterprises that are residents of “Defense City”. The main objective of the amendments is to prevent information leaks that could help the enemy identify the activities of defense enterprises by restricting the publication of their financial and statistical reporting.
**2. Structure of the Act, its key provisions, and changes compared to previous versions**
The act has a clear structure consisting of an operative part and specific amendments to the basic Policy for the Dissemination of Official State Statistical Information (approved by Order of the State Statistics Service No. 335 dated December 21, 2022).
Key structural changes compared to the previous version:
* **New wording of paragraph 18:** the conditions under which statistics may not be disseminated during a special period or a state of emergency (inability to ensure quality, loss of relevance, or risk of respondent identification) have been expanded and detailed.
* **Addition of a new paragraph 19:** an absolute prohibition has been introduced on the dissemination of financial reporting data of “Defense City” residents during martial law and for three months after its termination.
* **Update of the note:** the process of disseminating statistics has been brought into regulatory alignment with the relevant Law of Ukraine No. 4577-IX on supporting defense-industrial complex enterprises.
**3. Key provisions of the act of greatest importance for practical application**
For practical application and understanding by the media and business communities, the following provisions are key:
* **Complete confidentiality of defense-industrial complex financial reporting:** financial indicators of “Defense City” residents are completely restricted from public access for the entire duration of the war and for 3 months after its termination.
* **Prohibition of indirect identification:** any state statistical information must now be published exclusively in a manner that precludes even the indirect deduction of a specific defense enterprise or the scope of its activities.
* **Involvement of the defense authority:** the specifics of disseminating such information must now be mandatory approved by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, which highlights the security priority of these changes.
