Europol has compiled data on nearly 3,000 suspects in war crimes in Ukraine

Data on nearly 3,000 individuals suspected of committing war crimes in Ukraine has been entered into Europol’s databases. This was revealed during the Convention of European Police Chiefs, which took place in The Hague.

Europol acknowledged the Ukrainian police’s contribution to populating its information system.

“Europol’s Acting Executive Director, Jürgen Ebner, highlighted the National Police’s contribution to populating its information system, which already contains data on approximately 3,000 individuals suspected of war crimes in Ukraine,” the statement reads.

During the opening of the event at Europol headquarters, Maxim Tsutsikiridze, acting head of the National Police of Ukraine, stated that Ukrainian law enforcement officers have significant experience investigating crimes, which allows them to identify signs of operations by Russian special services based on individual arson attacks, sabotage, or cyberattacks to identify signs of operations by Russian special services.

According to him, sharing information with European partners about identified organizers and perpetrators of crimes, as well as the methods used to recruit them and prepare attacks, will help uncover the activities of such networks even outside Ukraine.

That is why the National Police initiated the creation of a joint Ukrainian-European task force to counter hybrid threats.

Among the group’s main tasks are the rapid exchange of evidence, conducting coordinated investigations, training units, and promptly alerting international partners to threats.

“The priorities are the activities of Russian special services and their operatives, sabotage, reconnaissance drones, cyberattacks, and the financing of aggression,” the Main Investigation Department stated.

During a bilateral meeting with Holger Münch, President of the German Federal Criminal Police Office, the Ukrainian side discussed further cooperation.

German partners proposed holding a meeting of relevant experts to examine in greater detail the methods of Russian operations, the use of drones, and the activities of mercenaries and foreign nationals involved in the war against Ukraine.

With Poland, the Ukrainian delegation discussed the possibility of establishing working groups to exchange information on hybrid threats.

During talks with Finland, the discussion focused on the exchange of information regarding individuals who may pose a security risk.

The Russian “shadow fleet” was a separate topic of discussion.

Maksym Tsutsikiridze drew attention not only to the use of such vessels to circumvent sanctions and finance Russian aggression, but also to the potential risks of their use for intelligence activities near ports and critical infrastructure.

The National Police stated that Ukraine is initiating the creation of a separate operational task force within Europol to analyze information about vessels, their owners and operators, affiliated companies, and financial flows.

“Ukraine is initiating the creation of a separate operational working group within Europol to analyze data on vessels, their owners and operators, affiliated companies, and financial flows,” the National Police reported.

The meetings also addressed the illegal trafficking of weapons and cybercrime.

The Ukrainian delegation held talks with Eurojust President Michael Schmid. The parties discussed the preservation of evidence of war crimes, combating online fraud, and the coordination of international investigations.

With representatives from Sweden, the Ukrainian side discussed support for Ukraine’s accession to the J-CAT cybercrime task force at Europol, as well as the work of a Ukrainian liaison officer within the task force.

Separately, the Ukrainian delegation met with Graham Biggar, Director General of the UK’s National Crime Agency. The talks focused on the development of digital forensics and the technical equipment of Ukrainian law enforcement units.

Maksym Tsutsikiridze emphasized the need to stay one step ahead of criminal planning and to exchange information in a timely manner among law enforcement agencies of different countries.

“The sooner we stop a crime in its tracks, the more lives we will save—in Ukraine and throughout Europe,” said Tsutsikiridze.

This was reported by the Main Investigation Department of the National Police of Ukraine.

As a reminder, since the start of the full-scale invasion, Russia has committed 977 crimes against journalists and media outlets in Ukraine.

Russia has attacked Ukrainian media offices at least 87 times, according to IMI.