NEEDS ASSESSMENT
OF UKRAINE’S
JUSTICE SYSTEM
Delivering meaningful justice to the victims and survivors of the armed conflict
This report has been created in order to give voice to the people of Ukraine who have been bearing the brunt of the war and have suffered the consequences of the Russian aggression for more than 10 years now.
Since the full-scale invasion, most of the monuments in Ukraine have been covered with sand bags and other materials to protect them from the shelling.
The report is a consolidated effort of a 5 year empirical research and analysis undertaken by the lawyers with international and domestic experience in representing victims of the armed conflict in Ukraine.
It has been reviewed and verified confidentially by investigators, prosecutors and judges
Its main objective is to provide policy makers at different levels with understanding of the kind of justice the Ukrainians are seeking, to what end they are seeking justice and to demonstrate that the existing mechanisms and efforts are not sufficient enough to ensure it.
Its ultimate goal is to provide recommendations on the accountability pathways which are vital to develop in order to satisfy the demand for justice among victims and civil society representing them.
Since the full-scale invasion, most of the monuments in Ukraine have been covered with sand bags and other materials to protect them from the shelling.
The target audience includes: Ukrainian state authorities; law enforcement agencies, prosecution and judiciary; lawyers and representatives of civil society organisations; international partners supporting justice in Ukraine; technical assistance providers; and victims of the most serious crimes.
The report is based on both primary and secondary sources, including:survey results;
- focus groups;
- interviews with investigators and prosecutors;
- legal analysis;
- findings from victim representation work;
- analysis of public statements and statistics;
- analysis of institutional documents and strategies.
The report was primarily authored by the ULAG team. Independent national experts – including former justice sector officials and academics – as well as international consultants also contributed to its preparation.
The report highlights the barriers victims face and provides recommendations to improve their access to justice. We hope it will help better inform policymakers and decision-makers, and strengthen advocacy efforts for necessary reforms.
The report covers the period from the beginning of the armed conflict in Ukraine in 2014 through to February 2025. We plan to update it annually.
Please cite it as an online source with a hyperlink to this ULAG website. For example: Ukrainian Legal Advisory Group. Needs Assessment of Ukraine’s Justice System, 2025. Available online: [link]
This website is the only continuously updated source for accessing the report. However, if you need a PDF version, you can download it from the ULAG website (only the 2025 version is available and we do not plan to update the PDF).