The Defense Institute of International Legal Studies (DIILS) and legal colleagues from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense (MOD) recently partnered to conduct a two-week proof of concept training course on operational law. The course was specifically tailored to train Ukrainian legal advisors providing operational law guidance to battlefield commanders.
“Any cooperation with partners is valuable – it's not just about weapons, money, or ammunition, it's about sharing experience and knowledge. I thank The Defense Institute of International Legal Studies for their cooperation. Congratulations to the officers of the Legal Service of the Ministry of Defense system on completing the professional course. Apply the knowledge for the benefit of Ukraine”, said Oleksandr Balanutsa, the Ukraine Deputy Minister of Defenсe for European Integration.
“This course is only one facet of an ongoing and a sustained DIILS partnership with Ukraine,” said U.S. Army Col. Elizabeth Allen, DIILS Director. “Our team will continue to be responsive to emergent Ukrainian legal needs. In coordination with USEUCOM, we will maintain and cultivate this vital partnership with the Ukrainian MOD through other DIILS and Defense Security Cooperation University Institutional Capacity Building (ICB) lines of effort, which bolster Ukrainian efforts to lawfully counter Russia’s invasion.”
With Ukrainian operational legal advisors in attendance as students, the pilot course provided an opportunity for critique and adjustment before the Ukrainian MOD permanently incorporates the curriculum into their training regimen. Ukrainian MOD operational law experts taught most of the materials and led practical classroom exercises, while a DIILS team provided some of the instruction.
“Our Ukrainian legal colleagues demonstrated a sophisticated understanding of the law of armed conflict, especially in the context of the learned experience of fighting against an unlawful invasion,” said Allen.
USEUCOM’s Staff Judge Advocate, U.S. Army Col. Ian Iverson, provided opening remarks to the course.
“This course is a powerful symbol highlighting the moral and legal differences between the military actions of Russia and those of Ukraine,” said Iverson. “And you, as Ukrainian legal advisors, play a critical role in ensuring that Ukrainian military operations comply with the applicable laws of armed conflict; you play a critical role in safeguarding Ukraine’s legitimacy and international support.”
During a key leader engagement following opening remarks to the course, Col. Iverson, Col. Allen, and the Staff Judge Advocates for U.S. Army Europe and Security Assistance Group – Ukraine met with Ukrainian counterparts led by Col. Kyrylo Hankevych, Deputy Director of the Ukrainian MOD Legal Department. Discussions focused on future legal training and exchange opportunities between the U.S. and the Ukrainian Armed Forces to further inform one another's knowledge in a rapidly evolving battlespace.
The recent pilot course was the culmination of a year-long effort to create an organic Ukrainian training course for legal advisors on the relevant legal issues of armed conflict, with particular focus on the current war with Russia. Additionally, wartime innovations reinforced a need to ensure the course incorporated the latest legal developments for an increasingly sophisticated battlefield.
DIILS and Ukrainian operational law experts met in person multiple times in the past year, with much work completed between each meeting. DIILS and Ukraine legal teams collaborated to create and review training briefs. The briefs were complete with video clips, scenarios, and discussion points, which incorporated and applied both international and Ukrainian law as it relates to armed conflict.
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As a component of the Defense Security Cooperation University, DIILS broad mission is to advance U.S. national security and foreign policy interests by building the capacity of foreign security forces to respond to shared security challenges in a responsible, accountable, and legally compliant manner.
| Date Taken: | 08.12.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 08.12.2024 17:37 |
| Story ID: | 478419 |
| Location: | PL |
| Web Views: | 27 |
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