Ukraine strengthens CBRN crime prosecution capabilities through international training

Radiological materials, chemical agents, and biological pathogens play vital roles in medical, industrial, and research fields. However, in the wrong hands, these same substances can endanger lives, disrupt economies, and destabilise regions. 

Ukraine, a country with significant nuclear infrastructure and a volatile security environment due to Russia’s full-scale invasion and war of aggression, faces heightened risks of CBRN-related crimes. Ensuring national preparedness to detect, investigate, and prosecute such threats is critical not just for Ukraine’s security, but for regional and global stability. Addressing these risks requires more than technical expertise; it demands strong legal frameworks and trained justice personnel who can turn complex evidence into solid criminal cases.

A series of tailored capacity-building initiatives

From April 7 to 11, 2025, 32 professionals from across Ukraine’s security and justice sectors convened in Chisinau, Republic of Moldova, for a high-level training course designed to improve the investigation, prosecution, and adjudication of crimes involving CBRN materials. Funded by the European Union, the course marked the third in a series of tailored capacity-building initiatives for Ukraine. 

Hosted by the National Institute of Justice of Moldova and implemented by UNICRI, the training drew participants from diverse institutions — including prosecutors, investigators, judges, police, customs officers, and legal advisers — to tackle challenges across the entire CBRN crime response chain. From securing contaminated crime scenes to handling nuclear forensic evidence, and from applying international legal standards to conducting cross-border investigations, participants explored how to effectively build and defend cases in court. 

The five-day programme culminated in advanced sessions on criminal charges and appeals processes, ensuring that prosecutions can be pursued through every legal avenue available.

A long-term investment in Ukraine’s national resilience

One of the most compelling aspects of the training was its real-world relevance. Participants were guided through case studies from countries such as Iraq, Germany, Hungary, the United Kingdom, and the United States, each illustrating the very real dangers of CBRN misuse and the complex interplay of law enforcement, scientific expertise, and international cooperation needed to prosecute offenders. Practical scenarios addressed the integrity of evidence under hazardous conditions, chain-of-custody procedures, and the value of intelligence-sharing in early threat detection.

The training represents not just a knowledge exchange, but a long-term investment in Ukraine’s national resilience. Selected modules from the course will be integrated into the curricula of Ukrainian law enforcement and judicial training academies, ensuring that this expertise is not only retained but expanded across institutions. As Ukraine continues to face hybrid threats in a high-risk security landscape, such training builds both national readiness and regional confidence.

Strengthening CBRN investigation, prosecution and adjudication capabilities 

This training is part of the pilot project “Strengthening the CBRN Investigation, Prosecution, and Adjudication (IPA) Capabilities of Ukraine,” delivered within the framework of the EU CBRN Risk Mitigation Centres of Excellence EU CBRN CoE. The Initiative, launched in 2010 and implemented by the European Commission with the support of the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI), works together with over 60 partner countries in developing capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to CBRN risks.

The IPA pilot project reflects a decade-and-a-half of collaboration between the EU and Ukraine under the EU CBRN CoE. Through sustained support — including training, expert deployment, and provision of specialized equipment —, Ukraine has become one of the most active and engaged partners in the Southeast and Eastern Europe region. This latest milestone reinforces the country’s legal preparedness to address crimes involving hazardous substances and enhances its cooperation with neighbouring states on transnational CBRN risks.

The project is implemented with technical coordination by the Science and Technology Center in Ukraine (STCU), which ensures the smooth logistics and delivery of activities. With Moldova hosting the training and offering its facilities and institutional partnership, the Initiative exemplifies regional solidarity in action.