Russia’s Crimes in Light of the Rome Statute
On July 16, 2025, the Ukrainian Free University (UFU) in Munich hosted international roundtable “Crimes of the Russian Federation during Aggression Against Ukraine in Light of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court”. The event was co-organized by the Center for Genocide and Human Rights Studies at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (NaUKMA) Faculty of Law and UFU.
The roundtable brought together leading voices in international law to discuss war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, conflict-related sexual violence, and the destruction of cultural and environmental heritage — all committed during Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine. Participants explored legal mechanisms to ensure accountability both at the national and international levels.
The event opened with remarks by
– Prof. Dr. Larysa Didkovska, Rector of the UFU, who emphasized that for Ukrainians, justice is not a theoretical aspiration but a lived necessity;
– Dr. Volodymyr Venher, Dean of the NaUKMA Faculty of Law, who stressed the urgency of transforming legal theory into effective accountability mechanisms for international crimes.
The discussion was expertly moderated by Prof. Dr. Myroslava Antonovych, Head of the Center for Genocide and Human Rights Studies at NaUKMA and Dean at UFU, whose leadership guided participants through complex legal and human rights dimensions.
Key Contributions:
– Dr. Dmytro Koval (Associate Professor at NaUKMA, Legal Director at Truth Hounds): on genocide and pathways to sustainable peace in Ukraine;
– Prof. Dr. Stefan Weber (Professor at Saarland University, Visiting Professor at NaUKMA): on protected groups under Article 6 of the Rome Statute;
– Dr. Iuliia Anosova (Postdoctoral Fellow at the Human Rights Centre, Universiteit Gent): on national vs. international responsibility for conflict-related sexual violence;
– Dr. Natalia Subbotina (UFU alumna): on the legal qualification of the destruction of Ukrainian cultural heritage;
– Volodymyr Hryshko (Senior Legal Counsel at Truth Hounds, PhD candidate at NaUKMA): on environmental crimes and the absence of ecocide provisions in the Rome Statute;
– Maksym Vishchyk (Legal Advisor at Global Rights Compliance, lecturer at NaUKMA): on integrating atrocity justice into Ukraine’s future peace negotiations.
The roundtable also reflected on Ukraine’s 2024 ratification of the Rome Statute and the ongoing harmonization of Ukrainian legislation with international criminal law standards.
Special thanks go to Rector Larysa Didkovska, Chancellor Dmytro Shevchenko, Dr. Liliya Bondarenko, and Dr. Roman Tyutenko for their crucial support in organizing the event, and to the speakers who joined both in person in Munich and online from across the globe.
Law is more than theory — it is a tool for achieving justice. We are proud to continue this essential work with partners and colleagues worldwide.
