Sweden pledges € 2.4 million to boost Ukraine's war crime investigations

Sweden has pledged €2.4 million to strengthen Ukraine’s efforts in investigating and prosecuting war crimes committed during Russia’s full-scale invasion. The funding, announced on 2 October 2024, will support the implementation of the SMEREKA e-case management system, according to the European Union Advisory Mission (EUAM).

This initiative is part of a broader effort by EU Member States, coordinated by EUAM, to support Ukraine in upholding the rule of law and ensuring justice for war victims. Since the beginning of Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russian forces have committed numerous documented war crimes, including attacks on civilian targets, sexual violence, abductions, forced deportations, killing of prisoners of war, and cultural heritage destruction.

The commitment was formalized through an Administrative Arrangement signed between EUAM and the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency. The project aims to transform the way Ukrainian law enforcement and prosecutors handle complex international criminal cases by upgrading the digital infrastructure of Ukraine’s law enforcement and judicial systems.

Margin Åberg, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Sweden to Ukraine, stated during the signing ceremony,

“Sweden stands with Ukraine in its fight for justice and accountability. This project reflects our shared belief that advanced technology can make a real difference in delivering justice and upholding the rule of law.”

The initiative includes the modernization of data storage systems for Ukraine’s Office of the Prosecutor General (OPG) and the development of two new modules for the SMEREKA electronic case management system. Additionally, the project will finance the procurement of necessary hardware and software for the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU), the National Police of Ukraine (NPU), and the OPG, including its regional office in Odesa.

SMEREKA’s key feature is its ability to store, analyze, and share documents securely between law enforcement agencies and prosecutorial bodies. This is expected to ensure a consistent flow of critical information, allowing for quicker investigations and reducing the time victims spend waiting for justice.

The project will be implemented in phases, starting in 2024 with a focus on upgrading the OPG’s server infrastructure and equipping law enforcement agencies with the necessary hardware. In 2025, the focus will shift to expanding SMEREKA’s capabilities through additional software modules and further improvements to the digital infrastructure.

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Sweden pledges € 2.4 million to boost Ukraine’s war crime investigations