Lessons Learned in the Dynamic Defense Environment – Second Annual Conference

From February 27 to March 1, 2025, Boryviter, in cooperation with the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and the Center for Scaling Technological Solutions (CSTS), held the second annual conference “Lessons Learned in the Dynamic Defense Environment”.

The three-day event focused on integrating the process of studying and implementing combat lessons learned into Ukraine’s security and defense sector, fostering a unified approach to Lessons Learned (LL) among commanders and personnel, and promoting this tool as an effective means of enhancing combat capability. Discussion panels, workshops, and active networking brought together experts from the General Staff, Ministry of Defense, CSTS, Ministry of Veterans Affairs, Ministry of Education and Science, representatives of combat units from the National Guard, State Border Service, and Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as international partners – the NATO Representation in Ukraine, JATEC, NATO JALLC, NATO SACT, and the European Security and Defense College (ESDC).

Throughout the conference, participants emphasized the crucial role of analytics, combined with artificial intelligence, in collecting, processing, and implementing combat experience. Another key aspect was effective communication between units, enabling the rapid transformation of collected data into concrete solutions for improving tactics, training programs, and weapon system modernization. 

During the conference’s opening, Orest Bilous, Chairman of the Board of Boryviter Center of Excellence, noted:

“The key condition for the successful development of our defense system is continuous self-improvement and analysis. We are facing a unique combination of full-scale war and rapid AI development for the first time, giving us the opportunity to transform combat experience into resources that are more valuable than ever for our army.”

Special attention was given to the Ukrainian Lessons Learned Portal – an innovative digital platform that will serve as a hub for data collection, After-Action Reviews (AAR), and experience-sharing. This tool will not only accumulate data but also ensure the full implementation of Lessons Learned across all structures of the Ukrainian Defense Forces. The Portal is set to launch soon.

The main day of the event featured five discussion panels:

Panel P1: “Development and Scaling Prospects for the Lessons Learned System – Regulatory Framework and Organizational Structure” focused on developing the regulatory framework and establishing organizational structures to legalize and systematically implement the Lessons Learned Portal. Topics included standardization, document coordination between the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff, and the integration of modern digital technologies.

Panel P2: “Mindset and Culture of Lessons Learned: Motivation, Success Stories, Training, and Preparation” included discussions on real-world frontline case studies, motivation, and training methods for commanders and personnel to foster continuous experience-sharing and the adoption of innovative approaches in combat.

Panel P3: “International Cooperation and JATEC: Ukraine’s Experience in the Security and Defense Architecture of Europe and NATO” focused on international collaboration. NATO representatives and Ukrainian experts discussed participation in JATEC projects, integrating Ukraine’s combat experience into the European security system, and prospects for further cooperation.

Panel P4: “Lessons Learned in the Security and Defense Sector’s Technological Ecosystem – Portal Integration with Other Systems” addressed the technical aspects of developing the Lessons Learned Portal, its integration into the overall IT ecosystem of defense structures, and the potential use of artificial intelligence to enhance data analysis.

Panel P5: “Synergy of Lessons Learned – From the Defense Sector to a Unified Analysis Ecosystem” explored expanding the Lessons Learned application beyond the military sector, fostering collaboration among defense, education, scientific, and industrial institutions, and leveraging Ukraine’s experience for joint projects with international partners.

A notable part of the event was the informal Ice-Breaker session on February 27, which allowed participants to network, establish valuable connections, and share initial expectations for the conference. On March 1, two specialized workshops took place: Workshop W2: “Establishing the Lessons Learned Community of Interest” and Workshop W4: “Data Streams from War – AI, Analytics, and Lessons Learned”. These practical sessions focused on coordination, analysis, innovation, and processing data streams using modern technologies, contributing to the further integration of lessons learned into the architecture of Ukraine’s security and defense sector.

We express our sincere gratitude for their valuable contributions to: Valerii Churkin, Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine for Innovations, Denys Kurbatov, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine, Yuliia Kirillova, Deputy Minister of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine, Yevhen Mezhevikin, Colonel, Deputy Head of the Main Directorate for Doctrines and Training of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Hero of Ukraine, Oleksandr Danyliuk, Colonel, Chief Specialist of the Department for Studying and Implementing Combat Experience at the General Staff, Artem Romaniukov, Head of the Directorate for Digital Transformation in Defense at the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Oleh Berestovyi, Head of the Information Technology Department at the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Vitalii Dobrianskyi, Colonel, Head of the Innovation Activities Directorate of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and all other participants whose insights made the conference exceptionally meaningful. We continue working together to develop the Lessons Learned community and implement it in a dynamic defense environment!

We extend our gratitude to our partners for their support in organizing the event:
International Renaissance Foundation, Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, InterContinental Kyiv, Eventee, Underwood Brewery, Uklon. The event was supported by the International Renaissance Foundation. The views expressed during the event reflect the position of Boryviter Center of Excellence and do not necessarily align with the official stance of the International Renaissance Foundation.