President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed Decree No. 1067/2026, enacting the decision of the National Security and Defense Council dated September 25, 2026, "On measures to build a strip of engineering barriers to ensure an adequate level of city defense and mechanisms for their implementation (circular defense of cities)." The document was published on the official website of the Head of State and entered into force on the day of its publication—October 26, 2026. Thus, the mechanism for preparing settlements for circular defense has been officially launched at the state level.
What the decree provides for
According to the published text, the adopted measures provide for the construction of a system of engineering barriers necessary to organize the protection of settlements. The NSDC decision determines not only the very fact of creating a barrier strip but also the mechanisms for its implementation. The decree does not contain a list of specific cities, types of structures, or work schedules—these details are not included in the open part of the document.
Why the details are classified
The appendix to the presidential decree is classified as "For Official Use Only." That is why the open text does not specify particular cities, the list of planned engineering structures, the mechanisms for their construction, and clear deadlines for completing the work. The Ukrainian authorities have essentially confirmed the very fact of launching the program, leaving its substantive part outside public access.
Who is responsible for execution
Control over the implementation of the NSDC decision is assigned directly to the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, Ihor Klymenko. This means that the coordination of barrier construction and deadline monitoring will take place within the NSDC Secretariat rather than through a separate public agency.
Context: extension of mobilization and martial law
The signing of the decree on the circular defense of cities coincided with a number of other decisions. On the same day, Zelenskyy signed decrees extending mobilization and martial law: the respective regimes will remain in effect until at least January 29, 2027. The decision to strengthen urban defense fits into the general context of the country's preparation for a prolonged conflict.
800,000 military personnel and the NATO factor
Commenting on military policy, the president announced the need to maintain the strength of the Armed Forces of Ukraine at 800,000 troops to ensure the country's security. At the same time, he clarified that this figure could change in the event of Ukraine's accession to NATO. The decree on the circular defense of cities thus becomes one of the elements of a broader defense strategy combining engineering structures, mobilization regimes, and the army's personnel potential.
