Diplomatic Legal Hub, a permanent consulting and legal center for foreign diplomatic institutions, businesses, and citizens, has been presented in Kyiv. It was created on the initiative of Barristers LLC in cooperation with Ukrainian lawyers. The platform is designed to provide continuous legal support to foreigners in Ukraine and reduce the administrative burden on embassies and companies, particularly in matters related to migration, criminal, economic, tax, and martial law issues.
Oleksiy Shevchuk, partner at Barristers and spokesperson for the Ukrainian National Bar Association (UNBA), emphasized that the hub will function as a practical mechanism for providing immediate assistance.
“Today we are presenting a platform where any representative of an embassy, foreign business, or foreign citizen can report their problem online 24/7 and receive appropriate support. Our team will use, among other things, universal jurisdiction tools to protect against persecution,” he said at a press conference at the Interfax-Ukraine agency on Wednesday.
According to Shevchuk, foreign citizens often remain without adequate state protection in wartime, so the team’s task is to provide them with fast and high-quality legal support.
Elvira Lazarenko, a partner at Barristers, outlined the hub’s service model.
“We provide support throughout the entire cycle — from crossing the border and proper documentation to resolving disputes with the migration service, customs, and in court. For at least the next two years, assistance to foreign citizens will be provided pro bono,” she said.
Yaroslav Kuts, lawyer, deputy head of the UNAA Information Policy Committee, and partner at a2kat, emphasized Ukraine’s openness to foreigners and investments and explained that the hub was created not only to provide assistance during martial law, but also with a view to post-war recovery, when business activity and migration are expected to grow. “
”Despite the war, we remain a country that is open with all our heart and soul to foreigners and foreign investment. The hub was created not only for the present — it is working with an eye toward post-war recovery, when the activity of foreign citizens and businesses will increase,” he added.
In turn, Oleksandr Oliinyk, managing partner of VIDSICH Law Firm and chairman of the Criminal Law and Procedure Committee of the Kharkiv Regional Bar Association, drew attention to the risks for companies with a foreign element.
“During the period of full-scale war, according to our data, more than 500 criminal proceedings have been opened against enterprises and individuals with a foreign component; in some cases, the indictment materials have already been sent to court. Ukraine has an institution of criminal liability for legal entities — sanctions may apply not only to officials but also to companies as a whole,” Oliynyk noted.
During the event, it was emphasized that the platform will also assist with practical issues, from opening bank accounts to contractual support, and is designed to close the “service gap,” as foreigners are currently forced to seek comprehensive assistance mainly in the private sector.
The organizers announced the creation of a hub secretariat and the availability of an online form for inquiries. Olga Tanyushkina, who initiated the approach whereby lawyers devote part of their time to providing free legal assistance to foreigners helping Ukraine, is named as the program’s ideologist.
Diplomatic Legal Hub was initiated by Barristers LLC in cooperation with Ukrainian lawyers and with the support of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency. Key areas include migration law, criminal and commercial proceedings, tax disputes, investment and financial transaction support. The platform is positioned as a legal support tool for diplomatic institutions, businesses, and citizens, available 24/7.
Source: https://interfax.com.ua/news/press-conference/1110786.html
Barristers, Diplomatic Legal Hub, Kuts, Oliynyk, UNAA, Лазаренко, ШЕВЧУК
The International Commission for the Examination of Claims of Ukraine, established as a special body under the auspices of the Council of Europe, will consider claims for damage caused since February 24, 2022, by the unlawful actions of the Russian Federation, in particular its aggression against Ukraine in violation of the UN Charter, as well as violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law.
As explained to Interfax-Ukraine by Oleksiy Shevchuk, spokesperson for the Ukrainian National Bar Association (UNBA), partner and representative of Barristers JSC, the Commission will consider claims relating to damage, loss, or injury caused by internationally unlawful actions of the Russian Federation. The commission will consider claims relating to damage, loss, or injury caused by internationally wrongful acts of the Russian Federation.
Claims may be submitted by individuals and legal entities, as well as by the state of Ukraine together with its authorities and state-owned or controlled enterprises.
The main task of the commission will be to consider, evaluate, and make decisions on claims for compensation for losses caused by internationally wrongful acts of the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine or against it. At the same time, the commission should become a key instrument in the international justice system aimed at documenting and compensating for losses caused by aggression.
One of the key steps in launching the commission’s work will be the transfer of functions and materials from the Register of Losses to it, and the secretariat will be formed on the basis of the current secretariat of the Register.
It is expected that the commission will have a permanent location in one of the countries acceding to the Convention.
In addition, there are plans to establish a commission office in Ukraine to assist in the performance of its functions.
“The commission’s mandate clearly defines its main task: to review, evaluate, and decide on claims submitted, determining the amount of compensation to be paid in each specific case. The key principle of its activity is the initial position that Russia bears international legal responsibility for all losses, damages, and harm caused by its illegal actions against Ukraine,” Shevchuk noted.
He stressed that the commission will have the authority to consider all aspects related to the resolution of claims, from administrative and financial to legal and political. The commission’s verdicts and decisions, in particular those concerning the amount of compensation, are final and not subject to appeal.
Shevchuk explained that the need to establish an international commission to consider claims is based on the basic principles of international law, which obliges the offending state to fully compensate for the damage caused by its illegal actions. In the case of Ukraine, this refers to the massive losses caused by the Russian Federation’s aggression.
“Reparation is not only a legal obligation but also a moral necessity: victims must receive justice and the opportunity to overcome the consequences of their experiences. The 2022 UN General Assembly resolution on legal remedies and reparations for aggression against Ukraine clearly stated that Russia must be held accountable for all violations of international law in Ukraine or against it. This responsibility includes compensation for the damage caused by unlawful actions,” he said.
The concept was developed by the Council of Europe, which assumed the authority to develop a mechanism for compensation for damages. It was confirmed in the 2023 Reykjavik Summit Declaration and provides for three consecutive elements: the already established Register of Losses for Ukraine, which has received more than 60,000 applications; the future work of the International Claims Review Commission as a compensation body; and the establishment of a special compensation fund, which will serve as the financial basis for compensation.
Bill No. 13673, which proposes to increase liability for illegal border crossing, does not yet have real enforcement mechanisms, according to Sergey Derevyanko, a lawyer with the Barristers law firm.
“The bill is incomplete, in particular because it is unclear how, for example, those who have left the temporarily occupied territories outside Ukraine and cannot return to their country for various reasons, such as serious illness or caring for a close relative with a disability, should act. According to the bill, such persons must return to Ukraine before the law comes into force or within three months after that, otherwise they will be held criminally liable, which, of course, violates the rights of such persons,” he told Interfax-Ukraine.
Derevyanko also noted that “it is unclear what to do with those people who, possibly without the relevant documents, left Ukraine at the beginning of the war for certain reasons and subsequently did not and do not have the opportunity to return to Ukraine in the near future.”
“This raises a number of questions, in particular, how and to whom these people, while abroad, should report their circumstances, given that changes to the Criminal Code regarding illegal crossing of the state border provide for exemption from criminal liability only on condition that persons who have been outside the country for three months from the moment of crossing the state border have returned to the territory of Ukraine and, before being notified of their suspicion of committing this criminal offense, have voluntarily reported what happened to the law enforcement agency,”
The lawyer also noted that the bill proposes to abolish criminal liability for violating the procedure for moving goods to or from the area of the anti-terrorist operation, “which is logical, since martial law has been introduced in Ukraine and, accordingly, the anti-terrorist operation is not yet being conducted.”
In addition, the bill provides for liability for obstructing the development of border infrastructure (obstructing the construction, development, or destruction/damage of engineering and technical or fortification structures, fences, border signs, border clearings, checkpoints across the state border of Ukraine, etc.).
Derevianko also drew attention to the bill’s provision on liability for conscripts, persons liable for military service, or reservists who violate the period of stay outside Ukraine established by law.
In addition, the bill proposes to increase liability for the illegal transfer of persons across the state border of Ukraine in conditions of martial law or a state of emergency.
“The purpose of the bill is to prevent evasion of conscription for military service through mobilization by ‘fleeing’ abroad, and to provide conscripts with the opportunity to return to Ukraine. If the bill is adopted, after three months, persons of draft age who illegally crossed the state border during martial law and did not return from abroad will be held criminally liable,” he said.
Commenting on what is meant by the “period of stay outside Ukraine under martial law established by law” specified in the bill, Derevyanko explained that “the current legislation does not provide a clear definition, but the terms of stay outside Ukraine for certain categories of citizens during martial law and a state of emergency are defined by Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 57 of January 27, 1995.”
“As an example, according to the aforementioned resolution, athletes included in the national teams of Ukraine may stay abroad continuously for no more than 30 calendar days from the date of crossing the state border, but not less than the duration of the event specified in the Unified Calendar Plan of Physical Culture, Health, Sports Events, and Sports Competitions of Ukraine for the corresponding year,” he said.
“It turns out that, as of today, there are no mechanisms for implementing the bill,” the lawyer concluded.
As reported, the Cabinet of Ministers submitted bill No. 13673 to the Verkhovna Rada, which proposes to increase the liability for illegal crossing of the state border.
It is noted that while in 2021 border guards recorded just over 3,000 illegal crossings of the state border of Ukraine, in 2022 such offenses more than doubled, in 2023 there were almost 10,000, in 2024, there will be more than 20,000, and in the first quarter of this year, almost 4,678 persons liable for military service were detained, which is 10% more than in the same period last year (4,539 persons).
The bill proposes introducing a penalty in the form of a fine ranging from 119,000 to 170,000 hryvnia or imprisonment for up to three years. For conscripts, persons liable for military service, or reservists who have exceeded the permitted period of stay abroad during martial law, a fine of 34,000 to 51,000 hryvnia or imprisonment for a term of three to five years is provided.
A fine of between 17,000 and 85,000 hryvnia or restriction or deprivation of liberty for up to three years is also provided for the deliberate damage of border infrastructure.
At the same time, the bill contains a provision exempting citizens from liability if they return to their homeland within a certain period and voluntarily report to law enforcement agencies with a statement about the criminal offense they have committed.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs noted on its Telegram channel on Friday that the draft law had been prepared by the ministry.
“Today, unfortunately, we are seeing mass attempts to evade mobilization by illegally leaving the country. As practice shows, administrative fines do not deter violators,” the statement said.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs explains that the draft proposes transferring the consideration of administrative cases of illegal border crossing to border guards, because it is faster and more effective.
As clarified to Interfax-Ukraine by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, cases of this category are currently handled by courts, and decisions are often delayed.
Prisoners in frontline territories often only have remote access to lawyers and remain the most vulnerable in wartime, according to Barristers partners Oleksiy Shevchuk and Oleksandr Shadrin.
“Prisoners remain the most vulnerable people in this regard. They cannot leave the premises during an alarm and go to a shelter. Sometimes, being located near the front line or military facilities becomes critical, or, as in the case of the Kyiv SIZO, which is located near the Lukyanivska metro station,” the lawyers told the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.
According to the Ministry of Justice, following the tragic incident at the Bilenky correctional colony, the evacuation of the following penitentiary institutions has begun: the Zaporizhzhia pre-trial detention center, the Vilnianska correctional facility (No. 11), and the Kamyanska correctional colony (No. 101)..
“This information is partially confirmed by rumors among prisoners. In particular, one of Shadrin’s clients, who is being held in the Zaporizhzhia pre-trial detention center, reported plans to evacuate them to the Dniprovskyi pre-trial detention center,” the lawyers said.
According to their information, no transfers to the court of appeal are currently being carried out from the Zaporizhzhia pretrial detention center.
“In the best case scenario, there will be a video conference, if there is electricity and communication. If only the prisoner is relocated and the court remains in the same region as before, the question of ensuring/not ensuring personal participation in the court hearing (at least in the first instance) will inevitably arise,” the agency’s interlocutors noted.
Shevchuk and Shadrin pointed out that prisoners in frontline areas often only have remote access to lawyers.
“Many lawyers have been mobilized or have left for safer regions. Of course, this situation can lead to problems with the right to a fair (adversarial) trial, which includes the possibility of confidential communication with a lawyer without witnesses from the police or the Security Service of Ukraine,” the lawyers said.
In addition, they drew attention to the fact that with the start of the large-scale invasion, a number of correctional colonies and pre-trial detention centers were occupied along with prisoners and staff, who were subsequently accused of treason or collaboration.
“For example, a dog handler at one of the penitentiary institutions in Kherson received such a charge: 12 years’ imprisonment with the right to hold relevant positions for 10 years (the relevant entry was made in the Register of Court Decisions – IF-U). Often, after the occupation, prisoners are encouraged to join the armed forces of the aggressor country, and if they refuse, they are thrown grenades into their cells or shot,” the lawyers said.
In addition, Shevchuk and Shadrin reported that penitentiary institutions remain significantly underfunded and conditions of detention are largely inhumane, as confirmed by numerous ECHR rulings, in particular due to overcrowding.
“After the repeal of the ‘Savchenko law’ (adopted in 2015, the law provided that one day of pre-trial detention in a detention center before sentencing was counted as two days of imprisonment in a correctional colony), the problem of overcrowding in detention centers and correctional colonies arose again. This is facilitated by the criminalization of theft and other property crimes, which have become serious due to the new “under martial law” designation, which is applied automatically. This phenomenon is also facilitated by the growing number of military personnel and suspects of high treason – categories for which the legislature has allowed detention without alternative,“ the lawyers note.
”These circumstances are expected to be the subject of review by the ECHR again,” Shevchuk and Shadrin predict.
According to media reports, in 2014, control was lost over 28 penal institutions in the occupied territories of Donetsk, Luhansk, and Crimea, where about 20,000 prisoners are being held. In 2022, another 12 institutions with more than 3,000 people came under the control of the occupiers.
According to the Ministry of Justice, since the start of the full-scale invasion, 10 penal institutions have been evacuated from the combat zones and 12 evacuation operations have been carried out, although the list of specific institutions has not been made public.
Source: https://interfax.com.ua/news/general/1098389.html
The relocation of Ukrainian businesses abroad, which in 2022 took the form of emergency evacuation, is becoming strategic planning to diversify risks, enter EU markets, and ensure business continuity, according to Kateryna Danilova, partner at Barristers Law Firm.
“While in 2022 relocation was often an emergency evacuation, it is now taking on the characteristics of strategic planning with the aim of diversifying risks, entering EU markets, and ensuring business continuity,” she told the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.
Danilova noted that “since the start of the full-scale invasion, Ukrainian businesses have kept up their interest in relocation, although it’s changed depending on what’s happening on the front lines and the overall economic situation.”
According to the lawyer’s observations, the information technology (IT) sector is the most active in terms of relocation, due to its mobility, focus on global markets, and minimal dependence on physical assets.
“For IT companies, relocation often means opening offices in EU countries to retain their teams, which also allows them to guarantee continuity and stability of services to their clients and simplifies access to international financial infrastructure. Many companies based in Diia.City are setting up overseas hubs while keeping a significant part of their development in Ukraine,” she said.
In addition, according to Danilova, manufacturing companies in light industry, woodworking, component manufacturing, and the food industry are also very active in relocation.
“The main driver for them is the desire to protect production facilities from physical destruction, bring production closer to European consumers, expand the sales market, etc.,” she said.
Agrarian and processing enterprises are also active in relocation, seeking opportunities to create processing capacities in neighboring EU countries to gain access to the market without logistical complications at the border.
In addition, these are companies in the creative industry, consulting, and marketing, which, like IT, are mobile and actively integrating into the European market.
Commenting on the geography of relocation, Danilova noted that the choice of a relocation country depends on many factors, including geographical proximity, logistics, business conditions, the availability of support programs, the tax climate, and cultural and linguistic similarities.
Currently, the main destinations for Ukrainian businesses are Poland, which leads in the number of relocated Ukrainian companies, and Germany, where Ukrainian businesses are attracted by economic stability, access to the largest EU market, and high purchasing power, although this country is “characterized by a higher level of bureaucracy and tax burden.”
In addition, Ukrainian businesses are relocating to Romania and Bulgaria, which are gaining popularity thanks to, in particular, competitive tax rates and lower labor costs, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, which are traditionally attractive due to their cultural proximity and favorable conditions for small and medium-sized enterprises, and the Baltic countries (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia), which are “interesting for technology and innovation companies due to their developed digital infrastructure and favorable investment climate.”
However, Danilova stressed that “it is legally impossible to transfer an employee from a Ukrainian legal entity to a foreign one, as they are different business entities operating in different legal systems,” but in practice, companies use a number of mechanisms.
These include, in particular, dismissal in Ukraine and employment abroad, which is the most common and transparent mechanism, but requires the employee to obtain a residence and work permit in the country of relocation, or a business trip, which is risky for long-term work abroad.
In addition, companies use mechanisms for concluding civil law contracts, where an employee registers as an individual entrepreneur in Ukraine (or as an individual entrepreneur in the country of relocation) and concludes a service contract with a foreign company. This model is flexible but carries the risk of additional taxes and penalties.
Another common mechanism is intra-corporate transfer (Intra-Corporate Transferee), which is used in EU countries that have implemented the relevant EU Directive, which creates simplified conditions for the temporary transfer of key managers, specialists, and trainees within a group of companies. This requires, in particular, the existence of legally related Ukrainian and foreign companies. Another popular mechanism is outsourcing or “leasing” of employees, which involves removing employees from the payroll on condition that they are hired by a foreign company. However, Ukrainian legislation does not contain clear regulatory provisions governing such legal relations.
Commenting on the pitfalls of Ukrainian legislation in the field of relocation, Danilova noted a number of restrictions in the Ukrainian legal field, in particular, currency restrictions, rules for controlled foreign companies (CFC), transfer pricing (TP), as well as restrictions on travel abroad and the movement of assets.
In addition, banking compliance and opening a bank account for a new company in the EU founded by Ukrainian citizens, the complexity of managing a dual structure, the loss of preferential treatment upon the actual transfer of activities abroad, in particular IT companies, which may lose the advantages of the special legal and tax regime of Dnipro.City, as well as adaptation to foreign legislation.
“Relocating a business abroad is an effective tool for minimizing the risks of war, but at the same time it is a complex legal and organizational project. The success of relocation directly depends on comprehensive strategic planning that takes into account all legal, tax, financial, and operational aspects,” she said.
Barristers, BUSINESS, Danilova, ENTERPRISES, LAWYER, RELOCATION
The law firm “Barristers” has signed a memorandum of cooperation with the public organizations “Caucasian Union” and the “International Institute for Caucasus Studies” with the aim of providing legal support to representatives of the Caucasian diaspora in Ukraine.
According to the company’s statement, the signing of the document is a response to the challenges faced by people from the Caucasus, who have been fighting against Russian aggression for the past decades. As noted by Yurii Radzievskyi, a partner at “Barristers,” the lawyers specialize in criminal legal defense, particularly in cases involving politically motivated persecution.
“From 2014 to 2022, there were already cases in Ukraine of detentions and extraditions of fighters of Caucasian origin at the request of the Russian Federation. We will not allow such practices to continue,” he emphasized at a press conference at the “Interfax-Ukraine” agency on Thursday.
Another partner at “Barristers,” Oleksii Shevchuk, stated that supporting the peoples of the Caucasus is part of a broader struggle for freedom. “A free Caucasus is an alliance of independence fighters who stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukrainians in defending the right to be free. We publicly declare our support for this struggle,” he said.
The head of the “Caucasian Union” NGO, Dzhabrail Mirzoev, emphasized the importance of legal assistance, particularly in the context of repression and political persecution. “This team of lawyers will help save the lives of many fighters,” he declared.
In turn, the head of the “International Institute for Caucasus Studies,” Kostiantyn Salii, underlined the role of an independent academic platform that will allow Caucasian researchers to work freely and publish truthful materials. He also noted the importance of protecting scholars and activists from accusations of “extremism” by the Russian Federation: “In Ukraine, one can prove their case relying on lawyers who know how to defend.”
Participants in the initiative believe that the signed memorandum will become an important milestone in the protection of the rights of representatives of the Caucasian peoples under the ongoing Russian aggression.
