If you want a single, uplifting example of what Ukraine's digital ambitions look like in practice, look at Diia — the government app and portal whose name means "action" (and stands for "the state and me"). It has become a genuine "state in a smartphone", and it kept growing even through the war.
Scale that speaks for itself
By late 2025, Diia had surpassed 23 million users — roughly four in five Ukrainian adults — offering 30+ government services and dozens of digital documents. In 2025 it added over 600,000 digital ID cards and integrated new capabilities, including satellite connectivity and AI.
World-first recognition
Diia earned a place on TIME's Best Inventions of 2024 for launching the world's first fully online marriage registration. Then, in September 2025, Ukraine launched Diia.AI — described by the government as the world's first national AI assistant that actually delivers government services rather than just answering questions.
A model other countries are copying
Here is the part that makes Diia globally significant: Ukraine open-sourced its code in 2024 so other governments can build their own versions. Estonia's state app mRiik was built on Diia's codebase, and USAID has backed adaptations explored in countries including Colombia, Kosovo and Zambia. A country at war is exporting digital public infrastructure to the rest of the world — an inspiring reversal of what one might expect.