The Netherlands Ministry of Defense has donated a sophisticated mobile laboratory to Ukraine for investigating war crimes, marking a significant advancement in the country’s capacity to document and investigate Russian atrocities.
The Ukrainian delegation signed the transfer contract on 6 February 2025, according to the Dutch Defense Ministry.
This latest contribution builds upon Ukraine’s growing network of mobile forensic capabilities, which has become crucial in documenting war crimes since Russia’s full-scale invasion. In May 2024, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with Japanese government funding, provided the National Police of Ukraine with mobile DNA laboratories and forensic vans for conducting complex investigations in field conditions.
These mobile facilities have proven essential in investigating mass graves discovered across Ukraine, including sites in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, and Donetsk Oblasts. Their deployment enables immediate on-site forensic analysis, preservation of evidence, and victim identification – critical steps in building cases against war crimes perpetrators.
“This demonstrates the importance our government places on investigating war crimes in Ukraine,” the Dutch Defense Ministry emphasized, noting that this represents a civilian rather than military contribution to Ukraine’s defense efforts.
The Joint Deployable Exploitation and Analysis Laboratory (JDEAL) consists of 13 containers equipped with advanced forensic and technical investigation capabilities. The mobile facility enables Ukrainian investigators to conduct comprehensive on-site examinations, including fingerprint verification, DNA analysis, and mobile phone data extraction.
The laboratory’s key advantage lies in its mobility – it can be easily transported and deployed within days, allowing investigators to respond quickly to reports of war crimes across Ukraine. Ukrainian specialists have already completed training in the Netherlands to operate the complex equipment.
The Hon. Prof. M. S. Bokarius Forensic Science Institute, operating under Ukraine’s Ministry of Justice, will be responsible for operating the laboratory. The facility is scheduled for immediate transport to Kyiv, where it will bolster Ukraine’s existing war crimes investigation infrastructure.
This donation builds upon the Netherlands’ ongoing support for war crimes investigations in Ukraine, which includes deploying forensic investigation teams from the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee under the International Criminal Court’s mandate, as well as providing other technical and financial assistance.
JDEAL represents a collaborative project of the European Defence Agency, which supports international cooperation initiatives. “JDEAL is a Dutch initiative and an effective example of international, innovative cooperation in the field of trace investigation,” the Dutch Defense Ministry stated.
The laboratory’s deployment comes as Ukraine continues to document and investigate numerous alleged war crimes committed since Russia’s full-scale invasion began on 24 February 2022.
