International law in practice

On 26–27 February 2026, a seminar entitled “Practical Aspects of International Criminal Law, International Humanitarian Law and the Trial of International Crimes” was held in Kamianets-Podilskyi, Khmelnytskyi Oblast.

The seminar was the result of a joint initiative by the Lviv Regional Branch of the National School of Judges of Ukraine, the EU Advisory Mission in Ukraine (EUAM) and the Khmelnytskyi Court of Appeal, and brought together judges from courts of first instance, appeal and cassation who hear criminal proceedings concerning international crimes.

Thomas Körner (Germany), Head of the EUAM Legal Department for International Crimes, highlighted the Ukrainian judicial system’s high level of adaptability. He noted that at the start of the full-scale invasion, the country lacked specialised expertise in the field of international humanitarian law; however, within a short period of time, Ukrainian judges made significant progress in acquiring the necessary knowledge and practical skills.

Oleksandr Marchuk, Chair of the Criminal Cassation Court within the Supreme Court, emphasised the complexity of legal practice in cases involving international crimes. According to him, the effective administration of justice in this category of cases requires a combination of in-depth knowledge of national legislation with a thorough study of international experience. Such an approach will help ensure the proper quality of the judicial process, minimise legal errors and uphold high standards of evidence.

In turn, Serhiy Bolotin, President of the Khmelnytskyi Court of Appeal, emphasised that drawing on the experience of colleagues, particularly those from frontline areas, combined with international expertise, would enable the development of uniform and clear approaches to the adjudication of this category of cases, thereby helping to ensure accountability and restore justice for victims.

The seminar programme covered a wide range of topics, including:

– an analysis of military necessity and the execution of orders in the context of international law (speaker: Dariusz Szelecki, Senior Adviser on the Prosecution of International Crimes at EUAM, Poland);

– the assessment of evidence in accordance with the standards of international tribunals (speaker: Niccolò Pons, Senior Advisor on the Prosecution of International Crimes at EUAM, Italy);

– the practice of international criminal tribunals and courts in cases involving torture and inhuman treatment (speaker: Thomas Körner, Germany);

– analysis of real-life cases, in particular the Tornden (Petrovsky) case as an example of a successful domestic prosecution (speaker – Nelli Karikko, Senior Advisor on the Prosecution of International Crimes at the EUAM, Finland).

Participants actively engaged in Q&A sessions, which were moderated by Oleksandr Ishchenko, a legal expert from the EUAM Legal Department for International Crimes.