From 15 to 19 March 2026, the Nuremberg Academy hosted 20 Ukrainian judges and prosecutors for a study visit on prosecuting and adjudicating the crime of aggression in Ukraine. The study visit was organised in partnership with the National School of Judges of Ukraine (NSJ) and the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine (OPG), in support of Ukraine’s ongoing accountability efforts following Russia’s full-scale invasion.
The opening session brought together representatives of the Nuremberg Academy and its partner institutions. Prof. Dr Christoph Safferling, Director of the Academy, and Darleen Seda, Senior Officer for Training and Capacity Strengthening at the Nuremberg Academy, emphasised the significance of equipping Ukrainian judges and prosecutors with practical tools needed to pursue accountability for the crime of aggression and other international crimes at the national level. They highlighted Ukraine’s emerging jurisprudence, especially the Ruling by the Grand Chamber of the Supreme Court, which clarified the leadership requirement, as a landmark development with significance for international criminal law (ICL) and accountability discussions well beyond Ukraine.
Mykola Mazur, Judge of the Supreme Court of Ukraine (NSJ) and Taras Semkiv, Head of the Second Division for Procedural Guidance and Public Prosecution of the Department for Combating Crimes Committed in Armed Conflict (OPG), expressed their appreciation for the continued cooperation with the Nuremberg Academy and underscored the ongoing urgency of combating impunity for crimes committed in the context of the ongoing conflict. They noted the importance of focusing on the crime of aggression since it has not yet been prosecuted and adjudicated before an international criminal tribunal, making efforts to strengthen domestic capacity especially critical.
The programme examined the crime of aggression at both international and domestic level, with particular attention to the legal and evidentiary requirements for building aggression case before national courts, including the establishment of individual criminal responsibility of senior and mid-level leadership. Discussions also addressed the applicable standard of proof in international crime cases and the role of cooperation with international mechanisms, including the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the European Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust), in supporting domestic proceedings. Sessions combined expert presentations with exchanges of best practices and practical case study discussions.
The participants benefited from invaluable contributions from Prof Dr Christoph Safferling (Nuremberg Academy), David Vaughn (Rule of Law Advisor, Chemonics UK), Dr. Dmytro Koval (Co-Executive Director, Truth Hounds), Alexis Demirdjian (Trial Lawyer, ICC Office of the Prosecutor), Judge Joanna Korner (International Criminal Court), Judge Mykola Mazur (Supreme Court of Ukraine), Myroslava Krasnoborova (Liaison Prosecutor for Ukraine at Eurojust) and Darleen Seda (Nuremberg Academy).
The study visit included a guided tour of the Memorium Nuremberg Trials, as well as a visit to the Higher Regional Court of Munich and the Bavarian Ministry of Justice.
In Munich, participants were welcomed by Hans-Joachim Heßler, President of the Munich Higher Regional Court, who reaffirmed the German judiciary’s commitment to supporting Ukraine’s accountability efforts, both through initiatives such as the study visit and through judicial cooperation with Ukrainian national authorities. During the session, participants shared their experiences, and reflected on challenges they continue to face on prosecuting and adjudicating international crimes and offences against national security and public order. Discussions covered the prosecution of members of terrorist organisations during armed conflicts, role of witnesses and expert witnesses in ICL cases, trial in absentia and international legal cooperation.
The visit to the Memorium Nuremberg Trials and Courtroom 600 held particular resonance for the participants as they reflected on the significance of being in a city where, 80 years ago, individual criminal responsibility for the waging of aggressive war was established for the first time. This legacy continues to inform accountability efforts today, including in Ukraine.
More information on previous study visits can be found here. (ec/ds)
