East SOS Participated in a Meeting with the Deputy Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court During His First Visit to Ukraine

Kateryna Dorosh, War Crimes Documentation Program Coordinator at East SOS, recently participated in a meeting between representatives of civil society organizations and Mame Mandiaye Niang, Deputy Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), during his first official visit to Ukraine.

The visit to Kyiv aimed to strengthen cooperation between Ukrainian institutions, civil society organizations, and the ICC in investigating war crimes committed by russia. During the meetings, participants discussed the transfer of evidence to the ICC, the investigation of crimes against civilians, attacks on energy infrastructure, the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children, and the role of civil society organizations in documenting crimes and collecting victims’ testimonies.

“Our cooperation with civil society and partners in Ukraine is essential for fulfilling our mandate. Through ongoing dialogue, we can ensure the effectiveness of our joint efforts to strengthen accountability for the crimes committed. These organizations inspire me – with their knowledge, technical expertise, and the resilience with which they continue to work and document crimes even in the most difficult circumstances,” said Mame Mandiaye Niang.

Since 2014, East SOS has been documenting war crimes committed by russia in Ukraine. Over the years, the foundation has developed significant expertise in recording violations of international humanitarian law.

“Documenting war crimes is daily fieldwork: speaking with people who have survived shelling, torture, or occupation, recording their testimonies, and preparing analytical reports. That is why cooperation with international justice mechanisms, particularly the International Criminal Court, is so important for us. It allows us to convey the truth about russia’s crimes and take another step toward holding the russian federation accountable,” emphasized Kateryna Dorosh.

Since the start of the full-scale invasion, the East SOS team has conducted more than 1,235 interviews and documented 2,176 alleged war crimes.

The documentation of war crimes by the East SOS team is carried out as part of the project “Support for Vulnerable Groups Affected by the War and Residents of Remote Areas of Ukraine,” implemented with the financial support of the European Union.

Previously, a presentation of the East SOS report on violations of children’s rights during the war was held in Kyiv.