Ukrainian Case Research Articles

Countering AI-powered disinformation through national regulation: learning from the case of Ukraine.

Advances in the use of AI have led to the emergence of a greater variety of forms disinformation can take and channels for its proliferation. In this context, the future of legal mechanisms to address AI-powered disinformation remains to be determined. Additional complexity for legislators working in the field arises from the need to harmonize national legal frameworks of democratic states with the need for regulation of potentially dangerous digital content. In this paper, we review and analyze some of the recent discussions concerning the use of legal regulation in addressing AI-powered disinformation and present the national case of Ukraine as an example of developments in the field. We develop the discussion through an analysis of the existing counter-disinformation ecosystems, the EU and US legislation, and the emerging regulations of AI systems. We show how the Ukrainian Law on Counter Disinformation, developed as an emergency response to internationally recognized Russian military aggression and hybrid warfare tactics, underscores the crucial need to align even emergency measures with international law and principles of free speech. Exemplifying the Ukrainian case, we argue that the effective actions necessary for countering AI-powered disinformation are prevention, detection, and implementation of a set of response actions. The latter are identified and listed in this review. The paper argues that there is still a need for scaling legal mechanisms that might enhance top-level challenges in countering AI-powered disinformation.

The role of historical memory in the formation of national identity: a study of the Ukrainian case

Introduction: The formation of historical memory in modern Ukraine is an important stage in the fight against Russian aggression, which has both military and ideological components. Objective: The purpose of the article is to analyse the role of historical memory in the formation of national identity (in the example of the Ukrainian experience). Methods: The study is based on the PRISMA approach. The criteria for including literature were based on content, thematic relevance, and methodology. The languages of the literature are English and Ukrainian. A total of 50 items were selected. We used software such as Excel and VOSviewer to create graphs and tables. The methods of comparative analysis and synthesis were used in the study. Results: An important aspect of contemporary historical memory in Ukraine is the appeal to key historical markers that have a significant impact on the formation of national consciousness. Russian aggression has generated a demand for Ukrainian historical symbols and narratives that influence national identity through public relations channels. Conflict is important, and it can lead to a conflict of “memories” that is reinforced by certain political speculations. At the same time, addressing historical issues in political debates (politicisation of historical memory) and the lack of a generalised national narrative on the history of Ukraine are urgent challenges to the further influence of historical memory on the consolidation of Ukrainians. Conclusions: Historical memory is an important tool for overcoming the spread of Russian propaganda, which openly spreads myths about the revival of the Soviet empire

Digital technologies in the global humanitarian sector: A case study of Ukraine

A critical approach regarding the potential for side effects associated with the use of digital technologies in the humanitarian sector as well as identifying potential risk factors arising from their “experimental” or “hasty” and unstructured use of the technologies in crises, finds real justification and is recommended by the humanitarian community, and notably the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Based on a literature review, reports containing data on humanitarian sector, as well as interviews with humanitarian practitioners, the phenomena occurring at the interface between humanitarian space and new technologies and their associated risks were analysed. The paper identifies critical, unresolved gaps in the legal, management and ethical frameworks of digital humanitarianism, among others accountability issues that have traditionally regulated the professional conduct of operations in this sector. It also presents the phenomena emerging in the context of response to the crisis situation in Ukraine. The Ukrainian case study, by bringing new digital experiences to the sector, will probably contribute to enriching the “learning” process of humanitarian agencies for similar emergencies in the future.

Elusive privilege: class, race and gender in Ukrainian war migrants’ (un)employment in France

AbstractWhat happens when the state removes the usual obstacles preventing refugees to ‘integrate’? Our article analyses the case of Ukrainians who fled the war to settle in France. Their legal status is different from that of ‘classic’ refugees: the EU directive on temporary protection gives them the freedom to move and the right to work. Moreover, they benefit from a rather positive attitude of the general public. The absence of racist stereotypes and institutional barriers, however, does not translate into easy integration into the labour market: 2 years after the beginning of the Ukrainian exile, two thirds of the refugees in Western Europe remain unemployed. Based on our fieldwork made in three French regions from February to August 2023, we analyse the predicament of Ukrainian war migrants. We conclude that granting formal access to jobs and putting racist discrimination on pause is not enough to overcome other handicaps: lack of language and other ‘soft’ skills; lack of social capital that would allow insertion into formal and informal labour markets; the burden of social reproduction magnified by forced single motherhood; and the temporary nature of one’s supposedly generous legal status. The latter turns the perceived privilege into a handicap: Ukrainians are tolerated temporarily and being increasingly differentiated into ‘deserving’ and ‘undeserving’, ‘productive’ and ‘unproductive’ migrants. While those deemed ‘productive’ may be encouraged to remain in the EU, those who fail to integrate into the labour market are likely to gradually be cut off from social support and forced to return to Ukraine.

Digital Evidence Barriers Overcoming in the Ukrainian case: New Actors and Standards

The purpose of this article is to examine the evolving landscape of joint investigative efforts (public and private), with a particular focus on new actors, and the emerging importance of digital evidence collection in conflict zones. It addresses the role of civil society organizations (CSOs) in collecting evidence, analyzing this from historical and legal perspectives. The article discusses the integration of collected digital evidence into ongoing investigations, highlighting the practical obstacles encountered. It also presents case studies where CSOs have intervened when state authorities failed to effectively investigate core international crimes, showcasing how these organizations contribute to modernizing investigative mechanisms using technology. As digital technology becomes increasingly central to criminal activity law enforcement bodies are challenged to adapt their investigative techniques to this new digital landscape. This article suggests opportunities for cooperation between public organizations and law enforcement agencies and emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary cooperation to keep pace with the evolution of the digital criminal landscape. The article uses a combination of general scientific and specialized methods. The results highlight the importance of continued innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration, and policy development for better frameworks and cooperation.

Development of Psychological Support Programs for Military Personnel Considering Combat Experience (Ukrainian Case)

Introduction: Russian aggression against Ukraine has revealed the need not only to counter direct military aggression, but also in the development of effective programs for psychological support of those soldiers who directly performed their duties on the contact line. The purpose of the article is to explore approaches to the development of psychological support programs for military personnel (on the example of Ukraine).Methods: To realize this goal, the method of content analysis of professional scientific literature and the method of comparison were used, that allowed us to trace changes in the understanding of the ways of reintegrating veterans of into society and peaceful life.Results: It was found that the inclusion of educational elements in psychological support programs will contribute to accelerate the recovery process and allow for the partial involvement of servicemen to their rehabilitation. The main components of psychological support programs psychological support programs include individual and group psychotherapy, psychotherapeutic interventions, reintegration programs, educational activities, and accessibility of assistance. The experience of Ukraine has shown that the use of collective support and active involvement of specialists in the development and testing of reintegration programs has a positive impact.Conclusions: To further implement effective programs of psychological support and reintegration psychological support and reintegration programs, it is necessary to provide additional social guarantees to help servicemen find their place in civilian life after completing their service.

Investigation Methods of Combating Smuggling and Suspicious Trade Through Transport Routes: Ukrainian Case

Smuggling poses a threat both to individuals and to national security. The problem of smuggling is complicated by the constant transformation of criminal schemes, thereby urging the search for appropriate investigation methods of this offense. The aim of the research is to improve the methods of investigation of smuggling through the integration of legislative, international, human, and technical resources. The research employed a doctrinal approach, a statistical method, and a descriptive method. As a result of the research, the Ukrainian legislation on combating smuggling was analysed in the context of European integration. It is noted that the criminalization of smuggling of goods is a welcome innovation, but the legislative framework needs further improvement. The legal basis of Ukraine's international cooperation in the investigation and countering of smuggling has been disclosed. The priority forms of cooperation were determined and directions for further improvement were revealed using the experience of several international initiatives. The value of human capital in combination with the latest technologies in the process of investigating crimes related to smuggling is noted. The obtained conclusions can be useful for regulatory bodies in the context of developing anti-smuggling policies based on identified priority areas.

The ideology of environmental justice: a Ukrainian case study

The relevance of the study is related to the need for a theoretical and legal characterization of environmental justice as a legal phenomenon, as well as the development of a legal mechanism for its establishment in order to implement the principle of sustainable development. The dialectical method, methods of analysis, concretization, idealization, comparison, historical and other methods were used to achieve the purpose of the study. The paper reveals the essence of environmental justice as an advanced concept of society development. The ideology of environmental justice is based on equal access of people to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, which is equated to the right to an environment that is safe for life and health in Ukrainian legislation. The paper pays special attention to the study of the phenomenon of sacrifice zones, approaches to their understanding and characteristics. In the context of long-term hostilities in Ukraine, the combination of traditional (consequences of economic activity) and new (consequences of hostilities) environmental hazards, complex types of sacrifice zones (military impact zones) appear. The features of military impact zone are proposed to include the following: it involves other types of sacrifice zones; it "absorbs" nature reserves and other protected areas; ongoing hostilities, the presence of mines and other explosive objects hinder the implementation of environmental policy goals. Social payments (both temporary and permanent) can be a means of partial implementation of the principle of environmental justice for the population living in sacrifice zones.

Cyber Operations in Ukraine: Emerging Patterns in Cases

The Ukrainian state has been a target of cyber-related incidents since the annexation of Crimea in 2014. Cyberattacks have targeted Ukrainian critical infrastructure, government offices, and several public and private organisations. Sometimes, these cyberattacks have caused significant impacts within the nation's borders. Some of the most well-known cyber-incidents in Ukraine include attacks on the Ukrainian electrical grid, which cut out the power supply for hundreds of thousands of people in 2015 and 2016. Attacks have also targeted presidential election systems and financial entities operating in Ukraine. The majority of attacks within Ukraine's borders have been attributed to Russian-affiliated non-state actors and organisations, and the number of attacks correlates with the escalation of the war in 2022. This implies previous cyberattacks potentially belonging to a series of hybrid operations related to the Ukrainian conflict and the general geopolitical situation since the annexation of Crimea. The paper focuses on this context by examining cyber incidents targeting Ukraine since 2014. We study the unifying factors related to Ukrainian cyber incidents, and we will discuss emerging patterns related to the attacks during the last ten years. This study will uncover the general traits of state-affiliated attacks in Ukraine, which will help uncover emerging patterns. Our particular focus will be cyber-attacks, where the target is the Ukrainian state and its critical infrastructure. We will examine methods of attacks, the attack targets, and the impacts, among other things. With the patterns emerging from our study, we can predict future cyber-attacks targeting Ukraine, providing tools for preparing for future incidents. We can use the information to improve national cyber-defences, where the attacks are likely to happen in the future. Studying the Ukrainian cases may also provide additional insights for improving cyber defences in other nation-states within the parts that apply to these nation-states and their geopolitical contexts.

EVIDENTIARY STANDARDS OF THE UN COMPENSATION COMMISSION: TAKEAWAYS FOR UKRAINE

Background: According to international law, a state responsible for internationally wrongful acts is obliged to fully compensate for the damage caused by such acts (Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts, Art. 31). Accordingly, victims who suffered losses as a result of such actions are entitled to compensation. To implement these fundamental principles, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe established the Register of Damages Caused by the Aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. It is just the first of three elements of the future compensation mechanism for Ukraine (the other two, yet to be created, are the compensation commission and the compensation fund). However, to get compensation, every victim of the war will have to prove his or her case before the future commission. In this regard, the evidentiary standards will become critical. To understand how future compensation mechanism for Ukraine could operate, it is useful to study the practice of similar institutions. The UN Compensation Commission deserves special attention, as it could provide valuable insights into how war-related damage must be proven to warrant compensation. Methods: The article’s primary purpose is to explore the approach adopted by the UN Compensation Commission with respect to evidentiary standards. To this end, the article will first outline the general framework of the Commission's work, its purpose and organisational structure. It is then necessary to describe the categories of claims reviewed by the Commission, since - as will be shown later - the Commission applied a diversified approach: different categories of claims were subject to different evidentiary standards with varying degrees of exactingness. This differentiation was necessitated by the prioritisation of claims and the use of an expedited procedure for reviewing first-priority claims. This main part of the study will focus on the Commission's documents that illustrate its approach to evidentiary standards. First, the three evidentiary standards applied by the Commission will be outlined and explained: proving the incident alone with no need to establish the extent of the damage; proving damage on the basis of a "reasonable minimum" of evidence appropriate in the circumstances; and proving damage on the basis of documentary and other evidence sufficient to establish the extent of the damage. The article will then analyse how these three standards were applied in practice to the selected categories of personal injury claims. Finally, the conclusions will consider what takeaways can be drawn from the Commission's case law for the Ukrainian case. Results and Conclusions: In times of armed conflict and occupation, gathering evidence of harm is notably challenging for victims due to various reasons. This fact calls for special consideration from international compensation mechanisms, which cannot adhere to the rigid formalities used in regular court proceedings. That is why the international law of evidence is adaptable and seeks to adjust to claimants' unique situations. This adaptability is exemplified by the relaxed and diversified standards of proof utilised by the UN Compensation Commission. Diversifying the standards of proof in the practice of the UN Compensation Commission consisted of applying three different approaches to different categories of claims. In addition, the burden placed on claimants was eased by presumptions developed in the Commission's case law. The pioneering approaches of the UN Compensation Commission should be applied and refined within an international compensation mechanism for Ukraine. This entails prioritising individual claims, introducing both regular and expedited tracks for processing claims, and ensuring flexibility with regard to the burden of proof and evidentiary standards to accommodate the challenges of wartime evidence collection without overwhelming victims.

Techno-economic optimisation of steel supply chains in the clean energy transition: A case study of post-war Ukraine

The steel industry's clean energy transition can enable new market creation and economic growth stimulation. Yet, the most efficient and feasible pathway to decouple the sector from fossil fuels remains unclear, particularly within developing nations and unstable socio-political contexts. Here, a blueprint for reconfiguring plant locations and reallocating resources is developed through a Ukrainian case study under two scenarios, which capture potential post-war conditions. Framed by regrowth of Ukraine's export-oriented steel industry and prospective European Union accession, green iron and steel trade strategies are devised. A steel supply chain optimisation model underpins the techno-economic, spatially granular analysis of energy and material flows, which utilises the inputs from a separate cost-minimised renewable energy, green hydrogen, and green ammonia production model. Results show that optimal supply chain configurations rely on mixed emissions-free energy profiles, the emergence of new steelmaking sites nearby high-quality renewables, regional alliances for green iron and steel market creation, and multi-billion-dollar investment. Mature nuclear and hydro power critically reduce costs in the near-term, whilst the rapid expansion of solar and wind energy infrastructure underpins production system scale-up. To simultaneously rebuild the 22 million-tonnes-a-year Ukrainian steel industry and transition to near-zero emissions by 2050, infrastructure investment surmounts to $62 billion, given full liberation of Ukrainian territory. Near-term investment is necessary to ease the pace of change, and although mobilising capital of this magnitude will be challenging, convincing carbon prices favour decarbonisation efforts.

DIGITAL TOOLS FOR MATCHING QUALIFICATIONS TO THE LEVELS OF THE NATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORK

Mutual compatibility of different national qualifications frameworks (NQFs) based on their compatibility with the European Qualifications Framework (or another international one) is crucially important for the effective recognition of qualifications between states. In turn, it depends on the quality of “filling” NQF levels with qualifications. Right comparing professional (occupational) qualifications with NQF level is a non-trivial problem for standard developers. The quality of any national system of qualifications depends on the comparability of qualifications with the level of the NQF so the comparison process should be strongly argued to secure the comparability. For qualification standard developers (especially for occupational standard developers) there were no strictly justified recommendations on how to compare qualification with the NQF level. Th. Saaty’s Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is developed to resolve the problem of evidence-based comparing educational or professional (occupational) qualifications with the level of the National Qualification Framework (NQF). Research results give standard developers software tools based on a strong mathematical background to determine NQF level for developed standards. It is shown that Th. Saaty’s Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is close to optimal for solving the problem of qualifications comparing and therefore looks like the best option for such methods. However, AHP demands non-trivial qualifications in mathematics and computing. The key problem resolved by this research is simplifying procedures to ensure effective access to the tool for qualification standard developers with minimal qualification in mathematics and computing. It is proven that each problem of qualification comparison with NQF level may be reduced to three options of decision. At the lower level of the decision-making process, there are 3-4 descriptors of qualification. Therefore, a user should be capable of forming at most four matrices of judgments and computing the main eigenvectors with some level of accuracy. The maximal dimension of matrices is four (for example it's true for the Ukrainian case). But for some national qualification frameworks that use only three descriptors maximal dimension of matrices equals three. Therefore, some simple approximation methods for eigenvector computing may be applied using only minimal means of Microsoft Excel or analogous applications. For the most general case of four NQF descriptors, Microsoft Excel macro is developed to secure achieving any level of accuracy. Corresponding API is developed by PHP programming language. Both Excel and API are accessible for users at the website of the Institute of Educational Analytics in Kyiv. The novelty of the article is that for the first time in national and international practice, it proposes an alternative/supplementary algorithmic method for determining the level of certain full and/or partial professional qualifications by the National Qualifications Framework, thus creating prerequisites for further automation of the activities of professional standards developers.

“Be Brave Like Ukraine”

This article synthesizes the authors’ earlier research on strategic communication in Ukraine during its first year of enduring Russia’s full-scale invasion and the subsequent war of aggression in 2022. The analysis is framed within the academic fields of strategic communication, military innovation theory, and theories on the mediatization of war. It aims to provide a nuanced understanding of Ukrainian strategic communication by focusing on how it is shaped and functions within specific historical, cultural, political, and social milieus, thus offering a holistic view of its evolution and impact during wartime. The article highlights the importance of approaching strategic communications as an all-encompassing task, engaging government bodies and the wider academic society for an evidence-based policy-based lessons-learned approach. It is argued that the Ukrainian case illustrates that effective strategic communication is deeply intertwined with consistent action, societal unity, political strategy, and national identity.

The Role of Online Psychological Testing in a Learning Process: The Ukrainian Case

The purpose of the article is to highlight the relevance of online psychological testing and determine the level of demand for psychological support of the educational process in the Ukrainian educational system. The tasks of scientific research are focused on reconciling the request for psychological support from Ukrainian school students with the proposals of the psychological cluster in the local educational space. The research methodology involves the organisation of a case study based on interviews with students in the form of open-ended questions about their experiences and the role of psychological tests in education. The use of a homogeneous sample is due to the need to study the basic understanding of the problem of psychological support for schoolchildren in Ukraine in complex socio-cultural conditions. The results of the study can be grouped into two key positions: the demand for psychological support is quite high (92.8%); the use of online psychological testing is highly relevant among students (76.2%) and is one of the priority elements of psychological support in the educational process. The students interviewed who had undergone psychological tests testified to their positive impact on their overall psycho-emotional state and noted their important role in overcoming learning difficulties. The novelty of the study is determined by the socio-cultural conditions of the crisis caused by the martial law in Ukraine and the transformation of the usual psychological support measures for students during their studies. Conclusions. Thus, online psychological tests, which have emerged as an alternative format of psychological support for schooling, have shown satisfactory results in the context of correlation between the demand for psychological assistance and the supply of psychological support from the authorities and school administration. Online testing provides sustainable and continuous psychological support for students, even when it is difficult to communicate with specialists in the field. The role of online psychological testing is growing due to the flexibility and mobility of the organisation, which is especially important in the dynamic conditions of turbulent socio-cultural development. Prospects for the study are to expand the basic case study using a variation sample, which will add a number of important variables to the student audience of the study.

Trade sign, trademark, brand: definitions, conceptual framework and legislation

The definitions and conceptual framework of the following terms are studied: brand, mark, sign and definitions. The research was conducted on the basis of definitions and approaches of these Western marketing «gurus» and practitioners of well-known Western experts in marketing, advertising, management, and psychology, as well as our domestic experts and scientists. Such definitions for a brand include trade, commercial, commodity, brand and others. The analysis of the literature showed that these definitions are identical, and in the Ukrainian case, it is necessary to focus on the legislative framework. The author also studied the definition of a trademark with the following definitions: trade, commercial, commodity, brand and others. These definitions and their conceptual framework were also found to be identical. In addition, the definition and conceptual framework of «brand» were also studied. The main synonyms for the brand in their definitions can be quality, image, memory, positive impressions, psychological effect, advertising and positioning. In the Ukrainian market, consumers and even experts often equate the concepts of a trademark, a trade mark and even a brand. However, this is not correct. I support this understanding of Western and domestic scientists that these are three consecutive steps. If to explain briefly, TS is a sign of indication of goods and services issued in the state according to its legislation. TM is a sign or logo under which the seller sells his goods and which is known to buyers. TM may be identical to the TS, and may not be identical to it. A brand, in turn, can be a well-promoted TM or it can be promoted without TM. In the West, TM and brand are practically the same thing, because there is basically an oligopoly market where several powerful firms operate with a not very developed product market. The terms TS, TM, and brand came to us from the West. The first two in the West were introduced around 20–40 years of the last century, and the brand around 60–70 years of the last century. The brand in the West went through four strategies from commodity to corporate. The basis for the definitions was the goal and historical facts and opportunities. Due to the change in these two factors, we have given a new definition of the brand. This definition is based on the UN resolutions on the exhaustion of the Earth's resources and their inconsistency with the ability to meet the needs of modern man and the right and responsible attitude. That is, we can interpret it as «green» marketing.

From Social Chronotope to Political Myth: Ukrainian Case

The author proposes to consider ideas, values, meanings and orientations regarding the identity of Ukraine that gained independence through the concept of a social chronotope. This implies a conceptual and mental space in which temporal and spatial characteristics are combined. The researcher uses a socio-constructivist approach to identity, a discourse analysis of publications by representatives of the political and intellectual elite, and secondary sociological data. The social chronotope was formed by the Ukrainian elite based on historical myths and new geopolitical realities that made Ukraine the largest country in Europe. The most important component of the chronotope was the idea that Ukraine needs an identity that distinguishes it from Russia. If the events of 2004 determined the vector of Ukrainian identity politics as European, the Euromaidan of 2014 drew a demarcation line not only between Ukraine and Russia, but also between Kyiv as a center of political power and a symbol of political community, on the one hand, and the pro-Russian regions of the eastern Ukraine, on the other hand. Their inhabitants were denied Ukrainian citizenship, their views and values were marginalized, which destroyed the social chronotope. It is, thus, replaced with an ideological confrontation in the form of a political myth about the Europeanness of Ukraine, which is hindered by Russia and the “separatists” under its influence.

Crowdfunding and Fundraising in the Peacebuilding System: Ukraine’s Case

The purpose of the article is to determine the role of co-financing technologies (crowdfunding, fundraising) under the conditions of war and post-war reconstruction. The basis of the study is the case analysis of international support to Ukraine to counter Russian aggression. The central issue of the article is to clarify the acceptability, effectiveness, as well as problems of applying co-financing technologies to solve the problems caused by the war. The existing global experience of using co-financing technologies during wars was studied, the peculiarities of the Ukrainian case were revealed. The advantages, problems and risks of using crowdfunding and fundraising during a full-scale war are identified. The motivation of the public of other states to co-finance the solution or mitigation of the problems caused by Russia’s aggression on the territory of Ukraine is ascertained. The research is based on the analysis of projects supporting Ukraine and Ukrainians during the days of the Russian aggression on leading crowdfunding platforms, as well as through fundraising. Crowdfunding and fundraising are considered as forms of remote involvement, elements of digital action repertoires, which are used by the democratic public from all over the world (and in the case of Ukraine, also by government institutions) to convey their position on war and mitigate its consequences. It is concluded that modern technologies of cofinancing enable remote involvement of citizens of different states in international conflicts and humanitarian crises caused by these conflicts and wars. The dependence of the use of crowdfunding and fundraising technologies on the type of political regime and the characteristics of political culture of the dominant part of the population is proven.

Conflict between morality and law in criminal proceedings: theoretical aspects and practical examples

"Criminal law, like other branches of law, is subject to the same moral principles, however, it is in criminal cases that a judge often resorts to ethical categories, since the type of punishment imposed may affect not only the restriction of the accused’s fundamental rights and freedoms, but also the future security of society. The purpose of the Article is to analyse the phenomena of morality and law as related categories in the administration of justice in criminal cases, and the importance of maintaining a balance between them when assessing evidence and imposing punishment in order to render a fair and impartial court decision. Given the peculiarities of the goal, the author has chosen a systematic approach based on general scientific and special scientific research methods, including systemic and structural, formal legal, comparative legal and other methods. Based on the legal analysis of current Ukrainian case law, the author identifies the real ethical challenges, which a judge faces when considering criminal cases and how to overcome them, resulting in a moral and fair decision supported by the law. The author also focusses on the insufficient coverage of numerous moral challenges in criminal cases among Ukrainian judges and provides suggestions on possible measures to improve educational activities in this area. Keywords: criminal law, moral challenges, court, justice."

Constitutional and legal status of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine

The article clarifies the constitutional and legal status of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, its nature, its place in the system of state authorities and the specifics of granting separate powers and the problems that arise in the practice of their implementation. It was concluded that in the language of armed aggression against Ukraine and encroachment on its territorial integrity by the ruscist regime, the discussion of issues related to the national security and defense of Ukraine acquires special importance. The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, which acts as a coordinating body for national security and defense under the President of Ukraine (Article 107 of the Constitution of Ukraine), becomes a very important body of public authority in wartime conditions. According to the Constitution, it coordinates and controls the activities of executive authorities in the field of national security and defense. We have two models (from the constitutional law of foreign states). The body could be purely advisory (Poland, Turkey, Kosovo, Estonia), or would be empowered to make a number of important defense and security decisions (Montenegro). In the Ukrainian case, use the word "coordination", which is unlikely to be purely of a recommendatory nature. However, in this case, the issue of granting some powers to the National Security Council, and not, for example, to the Cabinet of Ministers, should be well-founded and truly related purely to issues of defense and national security. The doctrine of the limitation of the President's powers by the Constitution itself is built into the constitutional design for a reason (Article 106 of the Constitution). Despite the rather broad and evaluative formulation of the President's powers regarding leadership in the field of national security, individual law enforcement by imposing sanctions, assigning the status of an oligarch, etc., can hardly be characterized exactly as "leadership". Their application is more related to the implementation of state policy in this area. That is why, perhaps, one should think about granting the relevant powers to the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. After all, the very nature of the Cabinet consists in ensuring the implementation of state policy. In addition, Art. 116 of the Constitution (clause 10) directly allows the Cabinet of Ministers to be empowered by laws.

Political opportunities and mobilisation on the far-right in Ukraine

ABSTRACT The Ukrainian far right has attracted massive media interest, from Russian media condemning Ukraine’s alleged Nazi takeover to international media warning of it becoming a transnational far-right hotspot. Countering these misconceptions, this article empirically studies the Ukrainian far-right movement to explain its mobilisation dynamics 2004–2020. Why did mobilisation peak in 2010–2014, and decline after? I argue that a combination of political and discursive opportunities offers an answer. However, these opportunities played out differently in Ukraine – a hybrid regime at war – than conventional social movement theory suggests. The Ukrainian case thus furthers our understanding of far-right movements beyond consolidated democracies.