EUAM Ukraine launches pilot project to support policing and community safety in Izyum
April 26, 2023
To support its counterparts in overcoming challenges faced after the de-occupation of Ukrainian territories in the autumn of 2022, the European Union Advisory Mission (EUAM) Ukraine has developed a Concept and Action Plan on Liberated and Adjacent Territories (LAT).
The document foresees the implementation of a pilot project in several cities of Kharkiv and Mykolaiv regions to support Ukrainian law enforcement agencies which operate in hazardous environments, where basic infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed.
Last week, the EUAM Ukraine’s Head of Operations, Lynn Sheehan, and a team of EUAM experts visited Izyum, a city in the Kharkiv region that had suffered greatly during the Russian occupation between April and September of 2022.
Re-establishing infrastructure and the rule of law
As the city of Izyum and other de-occupied areas in the Kharkiv region are re-establishing basic infrastructure, police services, and the rule of law, there is an urgent need to equip local National Police units with basic things such as IT equipment and first aid kits. According to the head of the Kharkiv region National Police Department, Volodymyr Tymoshko, Russian forces frequently targeted police units. “Currently, 13 units in the region are not functioning. To tackle this problem, we have introduced mobile police units,” Tymoshko says.
“To address the needs of our partners in the LAT, EUAM Ukraine is starting a pilot project in Izyum. The project aims to support Ukrainian law enforcement agencies in fulfilling their tasks focused on re-establishing policing, rule of law, and community safety in their area of operation,” says Lynn Sheehan. “This support will be provided through the procurement of IT equipment, survival sets, delivery of trainings, and visibility items.”
Support in the investigation and documentation of International Crimes
Since the city of Izyum is currently considered to be one of the largest crime scenes among the LAT, local law enforcement agencies are in dire need of support in the documentation and investigation of International Crimes. Volodymyr Lymar, the first deputy head of the Kharkiv regional prosecutor’s office, notes that for the moment, approximately 14,500 cases on violations of the laws and customs of war are being investigated.
“Within our pilot project, we provide hands-on advice and training on key topics related to International Crimes such as forensics, investigation planning and crime scene management, criminal analysis,” says Lynn Sheehan. In May, EUAM Ukraine plans to conduct the first set of training sessions in Izyum.
