Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Russian nationals have committed horrific war crimes, such as abduction of children; rape, murder and pillage; destruction of cultural heritage sites; and deliberate attacks against dams, hospitals, schools, and national parks. The Ukraine Prosecutor General’s Office has opened more than 130,000 cases of Russian war crimes. Some three hundred trials have been completed, most resulting in convictions. Many of the cases have been tried in absentia, but Ukraine is interested in using extradition to obtain custody of perpetrators for in-person proceedings.
This is where CWRU’s Michael Scharf comes in.
From September 8-10, 2026, Professor Scharf participated as a member of an elite team of experts in an intensive workshop to help Ukrainian Prosecutors prepare for Russian war crimes trials. The week-long workshop, organized by the International Bar Association, was held in Krakow, Poland.
“We couldn’t meet with the Ukraine prosecutors in Kiev because of ongoing Russian attacks,” said Scharf. “So, we brought them across the border to Krakow, one of the world’s oldest and most beautiful cities, known for its historic architecture, UNESCO-listed Old Town, and vibrant cultural life.”
This was Scharf’s third trip to Poland in two years to train Ukrainian Prosecutors. “While the first two workshops focused on preparing for environmental war crimes trials," he explained, "this one focused on challenges hindering Ukraine’s ability to obtain Russian fugitives from other countries through extradition and deportation.”
Professor Milena Sterio of Cleveland State University College of Law co-presented with Scharf on preparing extradition requests in cases concerning war crimes, crafting adequate assurances concerning fair trial and the safety of defendants in Ukraine, and cooperating in universal jurisdiction cases outside of Ukraine. In addition to Scharf and Sterio, the IBA team included expert from France, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, and the United Kingdom.
“I believe the Ukraine prosecutors benefited tremendously from this program. We’ll be seeing the results in the news,” said Scharf.