The Ukrainian digital state is taking a decisive step towards full technological and cryptographic independence. Ministry of Digital Affairs said on the adoption by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine of a resolution that finally establishes the national standards of cryptographic hashing "Kupyna" (DSTU 7564:2014) as a mandatory basis for the formation of qualified electronic signatures (QES).
The new standard finally replaces the outdated Soviet GOST algorithm. The Cabinet of Ministers' resolution will come into force on September 1, 2026. The Kupina algorithm has a high level of resistance to modern and promising cyber threats (including potential risks of quantum analysis), guaranteeing reliable hashing and data integrity.
Changes for citizens, businesses and developers
The implementation of the new crypto protection standard will proceed smoothly and without additional bureaucratic burden on users:
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🔑 Old CEPs remain valid: users do not need to urgently reissue keys. All certificates issued before September 1, 2026 according to the old standard will work until their expiration date.
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📜 Document legitimacy: files, agreements, reports, and contracts signed using previous algorithms fully retain their legal force.
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🔄 Automatic adaptation of services: information systems (in particular, Diya, state registers and EDO systems) will automatically check archive documents using previous algorithms, and all new operations will be performed using "Kupyna".
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🛡️ Issuance of new keys from September 1: starting from September 2026, all qualified electronic trust service providers (QTSPs) will issue new QEP certificates exclusively according to the "Kupina" standard.
┌─ │archive files │ │Only "Kupina" │ └─
HiTech Expert Take
The final transition to the national cryptographic standard "Kupina" for qualified electronic signature is a critical element of strengthening Ukraine's cyber sovereignty. A complete departure from the legacy of GOST algorithms eliminates potential pitfalls and vulnerabilities, guaranteeing the highest level of protection of electronic document flow from external attacks. A step-by-step integration model without forced reissue of existing keys will ensure the continuity of business processes for all business entities.
From an engineering perspective, tracking global infrastructure trends and developing advanced communication standards is crucial for the development of GovTech infrastructure and digitalization in Ukraine. As the Ministry of Digital Transformation deploys 60 national registries based on the Diya.Engine constructor and preparing a full AI transition to the Agentic State model, the use of such solutions will increase the sustainability and efficiency of government platforms, including national system "Obriy"At the same time, reliable cloud communication and instant data exchange with zero latency are fully provided by gigabit non-volatile GPON from Ukrtelecom, Vodafone, Kyivstar, thousands of other providers, as well as powerful data centers.
