This report aims to identify general lessons for wartime communication in democratic states, based on an empirically grounded analysis of Ukrainian strategic communication, with a focus on the 2023-2024 phase of the Russo-Ukrainian war. It adopts a popular scientific approach and is intended for strategists and practitioners in the defence sector, as well as researchers, analysts, and other relevant stakeholders. It examines how Ukraine has employed public diplomacy, public affairs, and psychological operations, focusing on the challenges and insights gained by Ukrainian actors engaged in strategic communication. The report is primarily based on interviews with 18 actors conducted in Kyiv in October 2024 and on analyses of Ukrainian and Russian social media and news channels, complemented by previous research and analysis. The report's key conclusions are that strategic communication during wartime serves as a critical tool for shaping and managing the meaning of war, but does not replace military capability. Furthermore, strategic communication in a war context is inherently a political issue, as it ultimately concerns who has the authority to speak on behalf of the nation. Finally, while the information environment rapidly evolves due to technological advancements, algorithms, and media dynamics, fundamental social, political, cultural, and psychological factors remain relatively stable. As a result, an overly technical or engineering-focused understanding of strategic communication risks overlooking the human complexity of communication in war. The final and concluding section of the report offers a concentrated summary of preliminary lessons derived from the analysis, with references to the sections where they are discussed in depth.