Prosecutor’s Office of Ukraine Under Martial Law: Challenges, Trends. Statistical Data

Abstract

Background: Introduction of martial law on the territory of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, due to the full-scale invasion of the russian federation1, led to a shift in the emphasis in activity of all public authorities and institutions. They promptly adapted to the challenges brought by the war to ensure continuous functioning of the institutions of key importance for the state. Such include the institution of justice; the Prosecutor’s Office is an integral element of its implementation. During the war, Ukraine gained new experience in the matters of its organization and functional development. It is expected to be useful to anyone interested in the justice system, particularly the Prosecutor’s Office, and for the study of its responses to the extraordinary conditions of the war. The publication is the result of a systematic analysis of the indicators of the Prosecutor’s Office of Ukraine activity within the context of the events caused by the war’s development, which has been taking place for more than one year. This time span allows the authors to draw certain conclusions and highlight trends. The performance indicators of four regional Prosecutor’s Offices, representing the north, south, east, and west of Ukraine, are taken as a basis. This approach is driven by different degrees of military aggression intensity in relation to the various regions, allowing tracing of the relevant correlation between the “territorial factor” and effectiveness of the Prosecutor’s Office’s operation. The study is based on statistical indicators and reports of the Office of the Prosecutor General, data from Kyiv, Odesa, Lviv, and Kharkiv’s regional Prosecutor’s Offices, as well as materials from the Qualification and Disciplinary Commission on Public Prosecutors. Methods: The authors used systematic, statistical, historical, and comparative methods, as well as the method of selective analysis and synthesis of information, ensuring the objectivity and complexity of the study. Actual statistical and empirical data are used for proper argumentation of the conclusions. Results and Conclusions: It was concluded that the activity of the Prosecutor’s Office in Ukraine under martial law is largely determined by the territorial factor. At the same time, the full-scale war became a catalyst for polar phenomena among prosecutors: intensification of the civil position in opposition to the aggressor, professional, and behavioural destructions, which are assessed by a disciplinary body to finalize the prosecutor’s career.