The Department of Legal Support of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, in collaboration with the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the Military Institute of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, and the U.S. Defense Institute of International Legal Studies, conducted a specialized training course for Ukrainian Armed Forces lawyers. This course prepared them to serve as legal advisors to military units.
This course is the first in the history of the Ukrainian Armed Forces to focus on operational law, including the application of various legal fields during military planning and combat operations. The programme covered topics such as national security and defense, international humanitarian law, rules of engagement, maritime law, the conduct of maritime warfare, international humanitarian law in cyber operations, accountability for violations of international humanitarian law, and legal support for military operations.
The course's development involved extensive collaboration between Ukrainian and American experts to create the curriculum and teaching materials. These materials incorporated best practices from the international community and specific examples from the Ukrainian Armed Forces' experiences. A key feature of the course was its practical orientation.
During the graduation ceremony, Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine for European Integration, Oleksandr Balanutsa, and the Director of the U.S. Defense Institute of International Legal Studies, Colonel Elizabeth Allen, delivered closing remarks.
"Any cooperation with partners is valuable—not just in terms of weapons, money, or ammunition, but in the exchange of experience and knowledge. I thank the U.S. Defense Institute of International Legal Studies for their collaboration. Congratulations to the officers of the Legal Service of the Ministry of Defense on completing this professional course. Apply your knowledge to benefit Ukraine," said Oleksandr Balanutsa.
"This course is just one aspect of our ongoing partnership with Ukraine. Our team will continue to respond to emerging legal needs. We will maintain this important partnership with the Ministry of Defense, which will strengthen Ukraine's efforts to lawfully resist Russia's invasion," said U.S. Army Colonel Elizabeth Allen, Director of the Defense Institute of International Legal Studies.
As a result of the course, 12 representatives from the legal services of Ukrainian military units acquired the necessary knowledge and skills to serve as legal advisors to military units. The graduates will be deployed on a rotational basis to carry out their assigned tasks.
