Collaboration or Survival
Ukrainian Criminal Law and Everyday Life Under Occupation
Deutsche Fassung
Abstract
Following Russia’s large-scale invasion, Ukraine has passed new laws on collaboration with the enemy. The term is defined very broadly, and laws overlap in some respects, yet they envision very different levels of punishment. The number of criminal proceedings and convictions is rising, and sentences are becoming increasingly harsh. Often, no distinction is made as to whether a person in a position of responsibility acted for political motives or was merely providing for the basic needs of the population. The consequence is that people are being deterred who are actually supposed to be integrated. The laws and their application are inadvertently playing into the hands of Russian propaganda.
(11-12/2025, pp. 121–130)