E4 · cycle-002.e4-ukr

Ukraine, scripted, 30 years from 1996

30 simulations of 30 rounds from the 1996 position. Ukraine decides by the scripted method; scripted events: Global funding seizure in year 2, Legitimacy rupture in year 8, Global funding seizure in year 12, Regional war spillover in year 18, Legitimacy rupture in year 18, Global funding seizure in year 18, Severe pandemic in year 24, Regional war spillover in year 26, Breadbasket failure in year 26, Hybrid coercion in year 26, Debt service reset in year 26, Market access opening in year 26.

Model 0.1.0 · graph 0.2.0 · parameters 0.1.0 · seeds 1–30 · elasticity sampled within each bracket

The same configuration in other cycles: cycle 3.

Every simulation · Compare with another experiment · More experiments like this

Not a forecast
Simulations of a structural model with seed parameter values, to compare methods and test the model. Other nations stay at their 2026 ratings throughout.

Outcome across simulations

The median at 2026, with the 10th to the 90th percentile of the 30 simulations under it.

Capability index
4.93 (−4.72)
From 9.65; 4.88 to 4.98
Rank by index
120
From 50; 119 to 122
Domains at Tier 1
0
From 0; 0 to 0
Tier rank
64
From 35; 64 to 65

Capability index by round

Rank by index, by round

Every objective at the position and at the horizon
Objective199610th percentileMedian90th percentileBetter
Capability indexprimary9.654.884.934.98higher
Rank by index50119120122lower
Tier rank35646465lower
Domains at Tier 10000higher
Score sum717.7376.3380.4383.9higher
Goal-weighted score717.7376.3380.4383.9higher
Resilient score717.7380.2 (mean score sum over the simulations)higher

The capability index is the mean of the three dimensions, each the mean of its domains, each the mean of its groups. Tiers are Pareto layers within each domain; the tier rank orders nations by domains held at Tier 1, then Tier 2, and so on. The goal-weighted score is the score sum unless the experiment sets a goal. The primary objective is the one the experiment is judged on; every other objective is reported beside it.

Credits

What each round’s credits went on in the median simulation. Across all simulations, build took 52 per cent, buy took 12 per cent, partner took 37 per cent of the 649 credits a simulation spent on actions.

Against history

Started from a reconstructed 1996 position and played along the pathway and shocks Ukraine actually had, then scored against the 2026 ratings. The position is an estimate, so part of any error is the reconstruction's. The calibration summary across all fifty nations is on the cycle's page under Loop.

Index 1996
9.65
reconstructed
Observed 2026
9.40
the Index's rating
Simulated 2026
4.93
4.81 to 5.05
Skill against persistence
−1.54
group error 4.33 against 1.70 if nothing changed
Domain1996ObservedSimulatedBiasDirection
Critical Technology9.077.134.74 4.7–4.8−2.39right
Strategic Infrastructure11.9210.216.65 6.4–6.9−3.56right
National Security10.1910.975.34 5.2–5.5−5.63wrong
Human Capital11.8110.409.29 9.2–9.4−1.11right
Information & Influence8.159.513.13 3.0–3.2−6.38wrong
Governance & Integrity8.9111.096.11 6.0–6.2−4.97wrong
Financial Strength8.348.182.08 2.0–2.2−6.10wrong
Production & Innovation9.238.853.85 3.8–4.0−4.99right
Trade & Investment9.258.313.13 3.0–3.3−5.18right

The history it was played under: shocks and events

  • 1998 · S02 × 0.6 Russian default and devaluation triggered currency and banking stress in Ukraine.
  • 2004 · S05 × 0.3 Orange Revolution after the disputed presidential election produced a transfer resolved through a court-ordered re-run rather than breakdown.
  • 2008 · S02 × 0.8 Global financial crisis caused banking failures and a 15 per cent fall in GDP.
  • 2014 · S03 × 0.7 Russia annexed Crimea and instigated the Donbas war, beginning active conflict on Ukrainian territory.
  • 2014 · S05 × 0.5 Euromaidan and the flight of Yanukovych produced a contested transfer of power recognised by parliament but disputed by Russia.
  • 2014 · S02 × 0.8 Concurrent banking and currency collapse, compounded by loss of Crimea and parts of Donbas, required an IMF-led emergency rescue.
  • 2020 · S10 × 0.7 COVID-19 pandemic strained the health system and caused a sharp recession.
  • 2022 · S03 × 1.4 Full-scale Russian invasion became the largest war in Europe since 1945.
  • 2022 · S06 × 1 Black Sea blockade halted grain exports, hitting Ukraine's breadbasket economy and triggering a global food availability crisis.
  • 2022 · S04 × 0.7 Russian missile campaign against the power grid caused nationwide blackouts through 2022-23.
  • 2022 · S11 × 0.6 Official creditors froze debt service and the 2024 Eurobond restructuring released fiscal capacity for wartime spending.
  • 2022 · S12 × 0.5 EU candidate status and the existing DCFTA deepened market access and redirected investment towards Ukraine.

The pathway: what it prioritised, period by period

  • 1997–2001 · build · 2% each Stabilise the new hryvnia, rebuild tax and administrative capacity, keep schools functioning and begin restoring agricultural output after the post-Soviet collapse. (Monetary & Currency Capability, Fiscal Capacity & Public Finance, Government Effectiveness & Public Administration, Foundational Education, Agriculture & Food Infrastructure)
  • 2002–2008 · build · 2% each WTO accession and export-led metallurgical and agricultural growth required market access, logistics and industrial modernisation. (Trade Policy & Market Access, Export Capability & Sophistication, Industrial & Sectoral Base, Transport Infrastructure)
  • 2009–2013 · buy · 2% each The Yanukovych period concentrated on cheap Russian gas and state control, strengthening internal forces while neglecting reform. (Energy Infrastructure, Resource Infrastructure, Internal Security & Order, Government Effectiveness & Public Administration)
  • 2014–2018 · partner · 5% each After Crimea and Donbas, Ukraine rebuilt its armed forces while launching anti-corruption and decentralisation reforms with Western support. (Land Power, Force Generation & Mobilisation, Intelligence & Assessment, Public Integrity & Anti-Corruption, Government Effectiveness & Public Administration)
  • 2019–2021 · build · 2% each Digital state platform Diia, land-market opening and EU Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area alignment became flagship national programmes. (Digital & AI Competence, Communications & Digital Infrastructure, Government Effectiveness & Public Administration, Agriculture & Food Infrastructure, Trade Policy & Market Access)
  • 2022–2026 · partner · 5% each Full-scale Russian invasion required all-domain defence, mobilisation and resilience under repeated infrastructure attacks. (Land Power, Air Power, Cyber & Electromagnetic Operations, Joint Command, Projection & Sustainment, National Resilience & Crisis Management)

Reconstruction notes (deepseek-v4-pro): The main uncertainty is how much Soviet-inherited hardware and infrastructure remained genuinely operational in 1996 rather than present but unusable, especially in aerospace, defence and heavy industry. Pre-2014 economic statistics are unreliable, and the scale of damage and adaptation after 2022 is still being assessed. Some relative scores, particularly in information and influence, are judgement-based because Ukraine's independent institutions were only beginning to form.

Report

Written from the simulation record by the loop's narrator. Every figure names the query it came from, in square brackets.

Batch cycle-002. Model 0.1.0, graph 0.2.0, parameters 0.1.0. 30 simulations, seeds 1 to 30; probes on 10. Every figure is a distribution over simulations of a structural model with seed parameter values; it shows what the model implies under these settings, not what will happen. Other nations are frozen at their 2026 ratings. No reconstructed historical data is used in this experiment.

Headline

Ukraine played 30 rounds from 1996 under the scripted method, with scripted events, 30 times. Its capability index moved from 9.65 to a median of 4.93 (−4.72), with 90 per cent of simulations between 4.87 and 4.98 [experiment_objectives].

Starting position

In 1996 the nation ranks 50 on the index against the frozen field, holds 0 of nine domains at Tier 1 and has a tier rank of 35. Its base income is 303 credits a year, calibrated so that its 2026 position is affordable with headroom for investment.

What was decided

A simulation spent a median of 646 credits on moves. The five groups that took most were Government Effectiveness & Public Administration (build, 55 credits, 8.5 per cent); Land Power (partner, 50 credits, 7.6 per cent); Force Generation & Mobilisation (partner, 50 credits, 7.6 per cent); Intelligence & Assessment (partner, 49 credits, 7.6 per cent); Public Integrity & Anti-Corruption (partner, 46 credits, 7.1 per cent) [experiment_decisions_by_group]. By mode: build 52 per cent, partner 37 per cent, buy 12 per cent [experiment_decisions_by_group]. Concentration of spending (HHI) had a median of 0.073, and the most repeated action appeared in 33 per cent of rounds.

The leading domain by period: rounds 1 to 5, Financial Strength; rounds 6 to 10, Trade & Investment; rounds 11 to 15, Strategic Infrastructure; rounds 16 to 20, National Security; rounds 21 to 25, National Security [experiment_spend_by_period].

What the world did

A median simulation saw 10 shocks and 2 upside events. The most damaging per firing were S03 (60 firings in 30 simulations, −53.8 points each); S10 (30 firings in 30 simulations, −37.0 points each); S04 (30 firings in 30 simulations, −34.3 points each) [experiment_shocks]. Upside events fired 60 times across all simulations [experiment_shocks].

The groups that lost most to shocks, per simulation: Fiscal Capacity & Public Finance −8.61; Trade Facilitation & Logistics −8.15; Investment Attraction & Projection −7.19; Economic Leverage & Dependence −7.08 [experiment_shock_damage_by_group].

The edges that carried most change through the graph, per simulation: Fiscal Capacity & Public Finance to Social Infrastructure (−1.57 points); Fiscal Capacity & Public Finance to Force Generation & Mobilisation (−1.53 points); Fiscal Capacity & Public Finance to Transport Infrastructure (−1.15 points) [experiment_propagation_by_edge].

Where it ended

At 2026 the median rank is 120 (5th to 95th percentile 119 to 122), the median count of Tier 1 domains 0 (0 to 0) and the median tier rank 64; the resilient score, the mean score sum over simulations, is 380 [experiment_objectives].

Why

Without shocks the index ends +5.724 higher on average, so the shocks cost about 5.724 index points [experiment_probe_attribution].

Holding instead of following this method changes the index by −0.468: that is the method's worth against doing nothing [experiment_probe_attribution].

Removing any single one of the five largest actions changes the index by between +0.001 and +0.015, for example 2014 partner Land Power (12 credits) [experiment_probe_attribution]. The largest actions by credits come late, when income is highest, and are rarely the most valuable.

Removing the largest shock of a simulation raises the index by +1.350 on average [experiment_probe_attribution].

The replay probe reproduces the simulations exactly (index change 0.000000), so the attributions are clean [experiment_probe_attribution].

Surprises

saturation_low (warn): 100% of simulations end with a group at 0 that did not start there (median 1 groups).

retired_words (warn): e4-ukr/report.md: 'simulations' 1 time(s), first near line 38; use 'simulations'.

The simulation furthest from the median (seed 15) ends −0.07 from it, with 10 shocks and 2 upside events [experiment_outlier_simulations].

Comparison

This is the baseline (hold) experiment, or there is none for this nation in the batch.

Against history: from a reconstructed index of 9.65 the model ends at 4.93, where the 2026 ratings put it at 9.40. Group scores miss by 4.33 points on average, against 1.70 for assuming nothing changed (skill −1.54); the change in each domain has the right sign in 56 per cent of domains. Furthest below history: information and influence (−6.38); furthest above: human capital (−1.11) [experiment_against_history]. The starting position is reconstructed, so part of the error is the reconstruction's.

What each decision and shock was worth

Counterfactual probes on the first 10 seeds: the same simulations with one thing changed, paired seed by seed. A removed decision or shock is taken out and the other decisions replayed unchanged, so the difference is that item's worth.

ProbeIndexScore sumTier 1For example
Hold instead of the method−0.468−33.10.00
No shocks+5.724+413.50.00
Replay of the recorded actions (must change nothing)0.0000.00.00
Without the 1st largest decision+0.015+1.10.002014 partner Land Power (12 credits)
Without the 2nd largest decision+0.015+1.10.002014 partner Force Generation & Mobilisation (12 credits)
Without the 3rd largest decision+0.011+0.70.002014 partner Intelligence & Assessment (12 credits)
Without the 4th largest decision+0.001+0.10.002014 partner Public Integrity & Anti-Corruption (12 credits)
Without the 5th largest decision+0.003+0.20.002014 partner Government Effectiveness & Public Administration (12 credits)
Without the 1st largest shock+1.350+99.70.002022 S03 (-74.8 points)
Without the 2nd largest shock+0.848+61.50.002020 S10 (-37.0 points)
Without the 3rd largest shock+0.443+33.10.002022 S04 (-34.2 points)

Simulations

Three simulations told round by round, each on its own page: the one nearest the median index at the horizon, and those nearest the 10th and the 90th percentile. Every one of the 30 is listed with its outcome on the simulations page.

All 30 simulations

Events

How often each shock and upside event began across the simulations. Shocks come from the ten downside scenarios and upside events from the ten upside ones, at their yearly likelihood.

Event
Kind
Simulations
Mean round
Points
Global funding seizure S02Shock100 per cent10.7−20.4
Regional war spillover S03Shock100 per cent22.0−53.8
Hybrid coercion S04Shock100 per cent26.0−34.3
Legitimacy rupture S05Shock100 per cent13.0−18.1
Breadbasket failure S06Shock100 per cent26.0−24.2
Severe pandemic S10Shock100 per cent24.0−37.0
Debt service reset S11Upside100 per cent26.0+3.2
Market access opening S12Upside100 per cent26.0+2.4

Groups across simulations

Every capability group: its position, and its median and spread at the horizon across the simulations, with what the method spent on it.

73 of 73 groups

Capability group
Domain
1996
2026
Change
Levels invested
Credits
Government Effectiveness & Public AdministrationGovernance & Integrity10.699.71 9.60 to 10.05−0.984.2399
Public Integrity & Anti-CorruptionGovernance & Integrity8.407.36 7.12 to 7.67−1.042.3346
Foundational EducationHuman Capital13.8312.46 12.29 to 12.58−1.371.5330
Nuclear DeterrenceNational Security2.060.00 0.00 to 0.00−2.060.000
Technical & Vocational SkillsHuman Capital11.399.32 9.29 to 9.36−2.070.000
Lifelong Learning & ReskillingHuman Capital10.778.45 8.38 to 8.51−2.320.000
Advanced EducationHuman Capital13.6011.27 11.20 to 11.37−2.330.000
Digital & AI CompetenceHuman Capital11.178.71 8.60 to 8.82−2.460.000
Research Talent & Knowledge CreationHuman Capital11.649.10 9.05 to 9.18−2.540.000
Intelligence & AssessmentNational Security10.617.85 7.71 to 7.95−2.763.1849
Internal Security & OrderGovernance & Integrity9.246.48 6.38 to 6.56−2.761.6526
Regulatory Governance & Strategic ControlsGovernance & Integrity8.345.52 5.51 to 5.55−2.820.000
Export Capability & SophisticationTrade & Investment8.215.26 5.17 to 5.41−2.952.8740
Early Childhood DevelopmentHuman Capital13.6510.69 10.54 to 10.78−2.960.000
Population HealthHuman Capital9.186.19 6.12 to 6.25−2.990.000
Trade Policy & Market AccessTrade & Investment9.346.10 5.94 to 6.21−3.242.5640
Industrial & Sectoral BaseProduction & Innovation11.127.87 7.78 to 7.98−3.252.1240
Transparency, Oversight & AccountabilityGovernance & Integrity8.114.79 4.75 to 4.84−3.320.000
Political Institutions & Civic ParticipationGovernance & Integrity8.475.07 4.98 to 5.13−3.400.000
Justice System & Fundamental RightsGovernance & Integrity8.445.02 4.97 to 5.08−3.420.000
Semiconductors & Advanced ComputingCritical Technology4.741.30 1.28 to 1.34−3.440.000
Land PowerNational Security12.539.02 8.92 to 9.16−3.511.9850
Health System CapabilityHuman Capital11.037.43 7.26 to 7.63−3.600.000
Agriculture & Food InfrastructureStrategic Infrastructure12.348.49 8.38 to 8.64−3.851.0630
Connectivity, Cyber & Trust TechnologiesCritical Technology6.272.37 2.32 to 2.41−3.900.000
Quantum TechnologiesCritical Technology7.933.95 3.87 to 4.02−3.980.000
Advanced Materials & ManufacturingCritical Technology9.695.52 5.46 to 5.60−4.170.000
Sensing, Timing & NavigationCritical Technology9.725.53 5.43 to 5.59−4.190.000
Diaspora & Global CommunitiesInformation & Influence9.204.90 4.87 to 4.95−4.300.000
Robotics & Autonomous SystemsCritical Technology9.585.16 5.07 to 5.28−4.420.000
Culture, Language & Education DiplomacyInformation & Influence8.854.41 4.34 to 4.46−4.440.000
Artificial IntelligenceCritical Technology8.614.04 3.92 to 4.18−4.570.000
Biotechnology & Health TechnologiesCritical Technology9.454.88 4.80 to 4.94−4.570.000
National Resilience & Crisis ManagementGovernance & Integrity9.574.97 4.86 to 5.09−4.600.000
Development Cooperation & Global AssistanceInformation & Influence5.620.91 0.77 to 1.03−4.710.000
Advanced ManufacturingStrategic Infrastructure11.756.92 6.80 to 7.06−4.830.000
Air PowerNational Security10.195.30 5.23 to 5.38−4.890.000
Force Generation & MobilisationNational Security13.258.36 7.84 to 8.61−4.891.9850
Space OperationsNational Security10.565.59 5.51 to 5.70−4.970.000
Energy TechnologiesCritical Technology9.004.02 3.93 to 4.07−4.980.000
Diplomatic Statecraft & Global NetworksInformation & Influence8.233.24 3.11 to 3.35−4.990.000
Transport InfrastructureStrategic Infrastructure12.987.94 7.60 to 8.28−5.041.3440
Sovereign Capital & External Financial PowerFinancial Strength6.851.78 1.73 to 1.83−5.070.000
Water, Sanitation & Waste InfrastructureStrategic Infrastructure11.526.43 6.17 to 6.66−5.090.000
Space TechnologiesCritical Technology15.7510.65 10.49 to 10.81−5.100.000
Structural Transformation & ComplexityProduction & Innovation9.944.82 4.74 to 4.87−5.120.000
Innovation & CommercialisationProduction & Innovation8.963.74 3.68 to 3.81−5.220.000
Communications & Digital InfrastructureStrategic Infrastructure11.065.74 5.61 to 5.86−5.320.000
Technology Adoption & DiffusionProduction & Innovation9.504.16 4.07 to 4.27−5.340.000
Space, Aerospace & Defence InfrastructureStrategic Infrastructure13.287.90 7.63 to 8.24−5.380.000
Business Dynamism & EntrepreneurshipProduction & Innovation8.613.20 3.04 to 3.36−5.410.000
Financial InfrastructureStrategic Infrastructure10.615.17 4.88 to 5.36−5.440.000
Alliances & Security CooperationInformation & Influence9.023.53 3.47 to 3.65−5.490.000
Monetary & Currency CapabilityFinancial Strength8.312.78 2.58 to 2.95−5.531.6230
Resource InfrastructureStrategic Infrastructure12.296.71 6.45 to 7.12−5.581.2326
Cyber & Electromagnetic OperationsNational Security11.095.43 5.25 to 5.54−5.660.000
Digital & Services TradeTrade & Investment9.833.85 3.73 to 3.92−5.980.000
Energy InfrastructureStrategic Infrastructure11.815.78 5.60 to 5.90−6.031.2526
Social InfrastructureStrategic Infrastructure11.545.42 5.19 to 5.89−6.120.000
Financial Regulation & IntegrityFinancial Strength8.752.62 2.58 to 2.65−6.130.000
Financial System Depth & AccessFinancial Strength8.692.55 2.51 to 2.58−6.140.000
Information Environment & Strategic CommunicationInformation & Influence7.991.79 1.75 to 1.86−6.200.000
Global Value Chain PositionTrade & Investment9.903.60 3.54 to 3.79−6.300.000
Economic Output & ProductivityProduction & Innovation7.471.16 1.07 to 1.23−6.310.000
Financial Stability & Crisis ManagementFinancial Strength8.572.19 2.02 to 2.36−6.380.000
Joint Command, Projection & SustainmentNational Security10.774.29 4.19 to 4.41−6.480.000
Strategic Strike & Missile DefenceNational Security13.446.90 6.79 to 6.97−6.540.000
Maritime PowerNational Security7.360.70 0.65 to 0.74−6.660.000
Labour & EmploymentProduction & Innovation9.022.01 1.90 to 2.16−7.010.000
Investment Attraction & ProjectionTrade & Investment7.590.06 0.00 to 0.15−7.530.000
Economic Leverage & DependenceTrade & Investment9.891.74 1.49 to 1.88−8.150.000
Fiscal Capacity & Public FinanceFinancial Strength8.860.55 0.32 to 0.81−8.311.2730
Trade Facilitation & LogisticsTrade & Investment10.021.32 1.26 to 1.44−8.700.000

Checks

The automated checks run on this experiment before anything was written about it. A warning is a candidate finding for the improvement loop.

  • passcredits_conservedlargest gap between credits in and credits accounted for: 1.1e-13
  • passscores_in_boundsscores range 0.000 to 15.747
  • passno_nans0 missing values in the trajectory and objectives
  • passprobe_replay_reproducesthe recorded moves played back reproduce the simulation to within 0.0e+00 points (10 simulations)
  • passledger_balancesthe edge ledger sums to the propagated change to within 8.9e-07 points
  • passmove_without_shocklargest one-year move in a group with no shock landing: 0.73 points; 0% of simulations have one above 3
  • passtier_jumplargest gain in one domain within five years: 2 tiers (0 simulations above 2)
  • passall_tier1_from_outside_top10starting rank 50; 0 simulations reach Tier 1 in all nine domains
  • passsaturation_high0% of simulations end with a group at 20 that did not start there (median 0 groups)
  • warnsaturation_low100% of simulations end with a group at 0 that did not start there (median 1 groups)
  • passspend_concentrationmedian concentration of spending across groups (HHI) 0.073; most funded group soft.governance_and_integrity.government_effectiveness_and_public_administration
  • passsame_actionthe most repeated move (group and mode) appears in a median 33% of rounds

Settings and versions

Experiment cycle-002.e4-ukr. Every simulation records the model, graph and parameter versions, the scenario, the method and its seed, so it can be reproduced exactly.

Nation
Ukraine (UKR)
Position
A reconstructed 1996 position, aligned to the Index's scale
Method
Scripted. Actions fixed in advance by the experiment: for a backcast, the nation's historical pathway.
Scenario
Scripted events: Global funding seizure in year 2, Legitimacy rupture in year 8, Global funding seizure in year 12, Regional war spillover in year 18, Legitimacy rupture in year 18, Global funding seizure in year 18, Severe pandemic in year 24, Regional war spillover in year 26, Breadbasket failure in year 26, Hybrid coercion in year 26, Debt service reset in year 26, Market access opening in year 26
Objective
Capability index, the primary objective the experiment is judged on; every other objective is reported beside it
Horizon
30 rounds, 1996 to 2026
Simulations
30 seeds, 1 to 30. Every method in the batch faces the same draws for the same seed.
Graph elasticities
Drawn for each simulation, uniformly within each edge’s bracket
Income
Base credits 303 a round, moving with the economic groups
Versions
Model 0.1.0, Capability Dependency Graph 0.2.0, parameters 0.1.0
Batch
Backcast 1996-2026 (cycle-002), cycle 2 of the improvement loop
Runtime
4.0 seconds in all; 947 microseconds a round
Not a forecast
Every figure is a distribution over the simulations of a structural model, reported to compare methods and test the model. None is a prediction of what a nation will do or become.
Structural parameters
Costs, decay, vulnerability and credits are structural seed values with low or medium confidence, set by domain with single-group exceptions. Five groups have no defensible value in a single-nation model and are flagged in the parameter tables.
Other nations are frozen
One nation is simulated at a time. Every other nation stays at its 2026 rating, so rank and tiers are measured against a still field; where the simulated nation rises past others their own tiers are not re-sorted.
Starting depth and mode are defaults
The position is the National Capability Index ratings. How institutionalised each capability is, and how much was built, bought or partnered, have no data behind them yet and start from structural defaults.
Credits are calibrated, not measured
Each nation’s income is set so that its position is affordable with headroom that rises with its fiscal capacity. It is not yet fiscal capacity as a share of GDP.