Ukraine Beyond Aggression
Legal Responses to Russia's Invasion in 2022 and its Consequences
21 February 2024
The Human Rights Law Centre (HRLC), in partnership with the Nottingham International Law and Security Centre, hosted a conference exploring legal responses to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The conference showcased a broad range of research related to Russia’s war against Ukraine examined within the framework of international law, in order to deepen understanding of the ongoing conflict. As we approached the two-year mark since the invasion, this event presented an opportune moment for critical reflection on the role and efficacy of international law in addressing this conflict, and armed conflicts more broadly.
The event was organised by HRLC Members Jakub Ciesielczuk (Assistant Professor) and Andrea Pelliconi (Teaching Associate) at the University of Nottingham School of Law.
Speakers
We were joined by a range of speakers who presented on various topics related to the conflict in Ukraine, including its historical roots, the ongoing refugee crisis, purported justifications for the war, civilian harm under international humanitarian law, international responses to the conflict, accountability efforts, legal responsibility, and more. Speakers included:
- Judge Mykola Gnatovskyy - Judge of the European Court of Human Rights in respect of Ukraine
- Maksym Demydenko - Co-founder, Ukraine War Archive
- Luigi Daniele - Senior Lecturer at Nottingham Law School, Nottingham Trent University
- Izabela Gawor - Litigation Caseworker at the UK Home Office
- Maciej Grześkowiak - PhD candidate at the University of Warsaw
- Yulia Ioffe - Lecturer in Law at University College London (UCL)
- Victor Kattan - Assistant Professor in Public International Law at the University of Nottingham
- Lauri Mälksoo - Professor of International Law at the University of Tartu in Estonia
- Scarlett McArdle - Assistant Professor in Law at the University of Nottingham
- Klara Polackova Van der Ploeg - Assistant Professor at the University of Nottingham
- Magdalena Zabrocka - Doctoral researcher at the University of Aberdeen; Faculty member at the University of Nottingham
View the programme
Welcome, Keynote Address & Ukraine War Archive presentation
The event began with introductory remarks from Dino Kritsiotis, Professor of Public International Law and Director of the Nottingham International Law and Security Centre at the University of Nottingham.
The keynote address was delivered by Judge Mykola Gnatovskyy, Judge of the European Court of Human Rights in respect of Ukraine.
Following this, Maksym Demydenko from the Ukraine War Archive gave a presentation. The Ukraine War Archive compiles digital materials, including videos and audio recordings, that document the Russian invasion. These materials cover aspects such as life during the war, evacuation, and eyewitness interviews, aiming to preserve history and ensure fair representation in legal and public discussions.
Panel I
The first panel of the conference was chaired by Jakub Ciesielczuk, Assistant Professor in Law at the University of Nottingham.
Speakers included:
- Lauri Mälksoo – 'The Historical Roots of Russia's War against Ukraine in the Context of International Law'
- Maciej Grześkowiak – 'Polish Special Law for Ukraine as a Particular Case of Implementation of the Principle of Temporary Refuge'
Panel II
This panel was chaired by Olympia Bekou, Professor of Public International Law and Head of the School of Law at the University of Nottingham. Speakers included:
- Victor Kattan – 'Deterring NATO: A Critical Analysis of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Legal Justifications for Russia’s Preventive War in Ukraine'
- Luigi Daniele – 'Incidentally Capsized: Incidentality of the Civilian Harm in International Humanitarian Law and its Contra Legem Antonyms in Recent Discourses on the Laws of War'
- Yulia Ioffe – 'Accountability Measures for Forcible Transfer of Ukrainian Children to Russia'
Panel III
The final panel of the conference was chaired by Paul Torremans, Professor of Intellectual Property Law, University of Nottingham. Speakers included:
- Klara Polackova Van der Ploeg and Izabela Gawor – 'Business Corporations in the Context of the Russia-Ukraine Conflict: International Law Perspective'
- Magdalena Zabrocka – 'The European Union’s Response to Russia’s Invasion in Light of Investment Migration: Balancing on the Verge of Lawfulness in Cases of Legal Status’ Deprivation'
- Scarlett McArdle – 'Limitations of Legal Responsibility: Questions of Redress in the Context of Ukraine'
Mando Rachovitsa, Associate Professor in Human Rights Law and Deputy Director of the HRLC, delivered the closing remarks.