From Ukraine to Europe: how SHERIFF scaled security and cyber defence

When a young entrepreneur set up the first security control desk in a school radio room in the early 2000s, hardly anyone suspected that two decades later it would grow into a comprehensive group of companies. Today SHERIFF is far more than a classic security service: the company forms an integrated ecosystem of cybersecurity, physical security, technical protection systems, cash-in-transit services and even demining. A company that has grown despite war and crisis - and is now taking a decisive step into European markets.

From a school room to thousands of customers

The history of SHERIFF goes back 22 years: the first workplace was created in the radio booth of a school, and the first customers were educational and medical institutions in Kyiv. Ten years later the company was already running its own monitoring centre and protecting 150 apartments - today there are more than 40,000 sites.

Despite the challenges of the war, SHERIFF has not only held its ground but continued to expand: the company is now active in 47 Ukrainian cities and municipalities and keeps opening new locations. According to founder Dmytro Stryzhov, even in times of war SHERIFF serves more than 40,000 customers and employs around 3,500 people. All of them carry daily responsibility for the safety of others, which is why SHERIFF invests specifically in their development.

With the SHERIFF CyberAcademy and the SHERIFF Demining training and qualification centre, both veterans and newcomers gain access to modern training and new professional prospects. SHERIFF sees itself not merely as a company but as a genuine community, where mentoring and mutual support are a fixed part of everyday work rather than mere marketing promises.

Cyber and physical security without a break

SHERIFF has long been far more than a purely B2C provider. Through targeted investment in technology and its own R&D centre, the company has developed into a service- and consulting-oriented partner for business customers. The MySherif app makes it possible to connect sites to security monitoring in just a few clicks. Corporate customers also have access to extended functions: complete site histories in the online dashboard, 24/7 monitoring and fast-reacting response teams.

SHERIFF was the first Ukrainian security provider to become part of Diia.City and has already received the “People’s Award” six times - a clear sign of transparency, quality and responsible work.

A particularly important focus is cybersecurity. Russian cyberattacks turned the Ukrainian market into a testing ground for new defence methods, and SHERIFF is now bringing this expertise to European partners. The company has dedicated teams for SOC, penetration testing and OSINT. In total, hundreds of employees work in the cyber field - from analysts to engineers who develop hybrid security solutions (“physical + digital”).

German quality with a Ukrainian heart

A flagship of the European expansion is Sheriff Security GmbH in Stuttgart, an independent German company within the SHERIFF group. Its catchment area is the German and European market, with a network of around 100 specialists deployed on a project basis. The team in Germany offers integrated solutions: from proactive cyber protection through to classic site security.

What makes Sheriff Security GmbH special?

• Holistic approach: a combination of cybersecurity, video systems and technical monitoring as one unified protection system.
• Individual solutions: for companies and private clients, starting where protection is needed most urgently.
• Hands-on experience: the team has real-world experience of responding to cyber and physical attacks.
• Premium quality: German clients expect transparency - Sheriff Security works to ISO 27001, NIS2 and GDPR and offers clear quotes without hidden costs.
• Speed: security audits, protection design, 24/7 monitoring and predefined response scenarios for immediate action.
• Cybersecurity Quick Audit: a rapid check providing an immediate overview of the security status - including recommended actions.

Sheriff Security GmbH sees itself as a holistic 360-degree security partner, offering companies and private clients turnkey protection solutions from a single source. Its guiding principle: “Security with system, precision and responsibility.” As CEO Oleksii Lysenko emphasises, the company combines Ukrainian dynamism with German structure - an interplay that produces teams which are equally flexible and disciplined.

Ukrainian identity remains at the core

European expansion does not mean losing Ukrainian identity - quite the opposite: it becomes a competitive advantage. Ukrainian companies stand for fast decisions, little bureaucracy and a strong focus on results. In Europe these qualities are valued just as much as technical competence. In every market SHERIFF emphasises the same values: responsibility, courage, honesty - terms that have become the new currency of Ukrainian companies.

What comes next?

In the coming years SHERIFF plans to build a complete local infrastructure in France, Germany, Romania and Switzerland. This is not about simple representative offices, but about independent companies with their own offices, service centres and clear operational responsibility.

Two areas will grow in parallel:

• MSSP services (managed security services: risk management, SOC, training)
• Technical security (integrated solutions for monitoring, video analytics and fire protection)

The vision is a world in which security is as self-evident as a stable internet connection or the morning coffee.

Anyone looking for a partner that builds infrastructure, ensures reliable backups and responds competently when it matters will find in the Sheriff Group a company that lives security at a world-leading level.