Forensic Medical Examinations in the Investigation of War Crimes
Abstract
Abstract. This article provides a comprehensive theoretical and practical analysis of the role of forensic medical examinations in the process of proving war crimes under martial law. It reveals the functional transformation of forensic medical activities influenced by full-scale armed aggression and emphasises their importance as a system-forming element of criminal proceedings for violations of the laws and customs of war. Scientific approaches to applying specialised medical knowledge during the investigation of crimes against life and health are summarised, along with the specifics of their use in cases involving mine and explosive injuries, mass graves, torture, sexual violence, and other international crimes. The article highlights the significance of international standards for documenting war crimes, especially the provisions of the Istanbul and Minnesota Protocols for developing credible expert opinions. It argues that adherence to principles such as independence, objectivity, thorough injury recording, informed consent, and confidentiality is essential for the admissibility of examination results in international criminal justice. Keywords: criminal proceedings; collection of evidence; proving; war crime; forensic medical examination; bodily injury; explosive trauma.Downloads
References
Bershov, H.Ye. (2024). Theoretical, legal and praxeological bases of the use of special knowledge in the investigation of military crimes. Doctor's thesis. Kharkiv. Retrieved from https://dspace.univd.edu.ua/server/api/core/bitstreams/959a2411-029d-49f0-ab7e-469652fe77a3/content
Burnos, O.O. (2024). Current issues of using knowledge of forensic medicine during an investigation of cruel treatment of prisoners of war and the civilian population. Uzhhorod National University Herald. Series "Law", 82(3), 59-64. DOI: 10.24144/2307-3322.2024.82.3.9
Cheremnova, A.I., Chernov, O.V., & Murashko, A.S. (2025). Comprehensive use of forensic examination results in detecting, documenting and solving criminal offences committed during the armed conflict. Herald Odesa Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise, 17, 105-119. DOI: 10.32782/2522-9656/2025-17-11
Dufeniuk, O.M. (2022). War crimes investigation: logistics, forensic science and medical issues. Juridical scientific and electronic journal, 4, 369-374. DOI: 10.32782/2524-0374/2022-4/88
Hamaliuk, B.M., & Khodyrieva, I.T. (2022). Specific issues of legal regulation of forensic molecular genetic examination and accounting of human genetic traits. Bulletin of Luhansk State University of Internal Affairs Named after E.O. Didorenko, 2(98), 190-201. DOI: 10.33766/2524-0323.98.190-201
Hruzd, O., & Lytynenko, O. (2023). Additional aspects of conducting forensic medical examinations under martial law. Current Issues of Forensic Expertise and Criminalistics: Materials of the International Scientific and Practical Conference on the Occasion of the 100th Anniversary of the National Scientific Center "nstitute of Forensic Expertise Named after Honored Professor M.S. Bokarius" (pp. 125-127). Kharkiv. Retrieved from https://rep.dnuvs.ukr.education/server/api/ core/bitstreams/ee6d5aac-e258-4e7f-a6f9-26e4a16dad02/content
Hurov, O.M., Antonov, A.H., Surhai, N.M., Tatarko, S.V., Shylan, V.I., & Uzbek, T. S. (2023). Ways of improving the forensic medical identification of a person in complicated conditions. Forensic-medical examination, 1, 16-21. DOI: 10.24061/2707-8728.1.2023.3
Pyrih, I.V. (2022). The use of special knowledge in the investigation of crimes committed under martial law. Scientific Bulletin of Dnipro State University of Internal Affairs, 2(121), 347-352. DOI: 10.31733/2078-3566-2022-6-347-352.
Serhieieva, D.B. (2025). Use of special knowledge in the investigation of war crimes and crimes against humanity: procedural aspects, expert interaction, and digital criminalistics. Analytical and Comparative Jurisprudence, 6(3), 234-247. DOI: 10.24144/2788-6018.2025.06.3.36
Shevchyshena, K.P. (2024). Investigation of war crimes in Ukraine. Extended abstract of candidate's thesis. Kyiv. Retrieved from https://www.navs.edu.ua/files/spec-vchena-rada/srd_26_007_03/2024/ avtoref_shevchyshena.pdf
Smolyn, Ya.V., & Vasylenko, S.R. (2025). Problems of forensic medical examination under martial law. Scientific Notes of Lviv University of Business and Law, 45, 667-674. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17349378
Stepaniuk, R.L., & Husieva, V.O. (2023). Organizational principles of dna identification of victims of mass casualty emergencies. Forensic Herald, 1(39), 29-38. DOI: 10.37025/1992-4437/2023-39-1-29
Syvodied, I.S. (2024). Application of specialized knowledge and appointment of expert studies in the investigation of criminal offenses committed in the occupied territories of Ukraine. Scientific Notes of Taurida National V.I. Vernadsky University. Series "Legal Sciences", 35(74), 2, 108-116. DOI: 10.32782/TNU-2707-0581/2024.2/17
Topchii, V.V. (2024). Molecular and genetic expertise in a criminal process under the conditions of the state of martial. Irpin legal chroniclles, 4(17), 245-251. DOI: 10.33244/2617-4154.4(17).2024.245-251
Tymoshko, V.V. (2024). Use of specialized knowledge during documentation and investigation of war crimes. Bulletin of the Criminological Association of Ukraine, 1(31), 307-314. DOI: 10.32631/vca.2024.1.25
Voichyshena, M.V. (2025). Forensic examinations during the investigation of war crimes: types and significance. Uzhhorod National University Herald. Series "Law", 92(4), 262-268. DOI: 10.24144/2307-3322.2025.92.4.35
Vuima, A.H. (2023). Special aspects of the use of special medical knowledge during the investigation of murder under martial law. Current Problems of Modern Science in the Research of Young Scientists, Cadets and Students: Theses of the All-Ukrainian Scientific and Practical Conference (pp. 136-139). Vinnytsia. Retrieved from https://dspace.univd.edu.ua/server/api/core/bitstreams/c42507b1-271d-465b-bc86-6d8758cf616e/content
Abstract views: 13 PDF Downloads: 10
Authors reserve the right to authorship of their own work and transfer to the magazine the right of the first publication of this work under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which allows other persons to freely distribute published work with mandatory reference to authors of the original work and the first publication of an article in this magazine.
Authors have the right to enter into separate additional agreements on non-exclusive dissemination of the work in the form in which it was published in the journal (for example, to post an article in the institution's repository or to publish as part of a monograph), provided that the link to the first publication of the work in this journal is maintained.
The journal's policy allows and encourages the posting of articles by authors on the Internet (for example, in electronic storehouses of institutions or on personal websites), both before the submission of this manuscript to the editorial office and during its editorial processing, as this contributes to the creation of a productive scientific discussion and positively affects the efficiency and dynamics of citing the published work.
