Olga Golovina

Editorial Coordinator

Olga Golovina is editorial coordinator of IWPR’s Ukraine Justice Report. With more than 20 years experience working as a journalist and editor in Ukrainian print and TV, she has covered a wide range of stories across Europe, Russia and the Caucasus.

Stories by the Author

Residential buildings in a flooded area on June 8, 2023 in Kherson, Ukraine. Early Tuesday, the Kakhovka dam and hydroelectric power plant, which sits on the Dnipro river in the southern Kherson region, was destroyed, forcing downstream communities to evacuate due to the risk of flooding.

Residential buildings in a flooded area on June 8, 2023 in Kherson, Ukraine. Early Tuesday, the Kakhovka dam and hydroelectric power plant, which sits on the Dnipro river in the southern Kherson region, was destroyed, forcing downstream communities to evacuate due to the risk of flooding. © Alex Babenko/Getty Images

A War Crime Against the Environment

Could the destruction of the Kakhovka dam be prosecuted by the ICC?

31 Jul 24

Crimea, an internationally recognised Ukrainian territory with special status, was annexed by the Russian Federation on March 18, 2014. The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has found Russia guilty of systematic violations of human rights in Ukraine’s occupied Crimean peninsula.

Crimea, an internationally recognised Ukrainian territory with special status, was annexed by the Russian Federation on March 18, 2014. The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has found Russia guilty of systematic violations of human rights in Ukraine’s occupied Crimean peninsula. © Alexander Aksakov/Getty Images

Landmark European Ruling Over Crimea Offers Fresh Hope

Decision by top European court provides basis for resolving hundreds of individual Ukrainian cases.

23 Jul 24

Security Service of Ukraine served notice of suspicion to Russian propagandist Mardan who called for repressions against Ukrainians.

Security Service of Ukraine served notice of suspicion to Russian propagandist Mardan who called for repressions against Ukrainians. © SSU

Pursuing Russian Propagandists

Activist groups want arrest warrants issued for key figures inciting hatred against Ukrainians in the Russian media.

16 Jul 24

The Council of Europe has started the process of creating a Special Tribunal to try the crime of Russian aggression against Ukraine.

The Council of Europe has started the process of creating a Special Tribunal to try the crime of Russian aggression against Ukraine. © Sergey Guneev - Host Photo Agency via Getty Images

Can the Council of Europe Create A Tribunal for Putin?

Ukrainian human rights defender argues this could be the platform on which the prosecution for the crime of aggression can be built.

9 Jul 24

National guard special operations soldier checks the ruins of a building previously used as a local headquarters by Russian occupying forces during a search for evidence of war crimes by police investigators, on October 14, 2022 in Vyshneve, Kharkiv oblast, Ukraine.

National guard special operations soldier checks the ruins of a building previously used as a local headquarters by Russian occupying forces during a search for evidence of war crimes by police investigators, on October 14, 2022 in Vyshneve, Kharkiv oblast, Ukraine. © Carl Court/Getty Images

Investigating War Crimes Under Daily Attack

In Kharkhiv region, constant shelling of the border territories is a significant obstacle to inspecting incident scenes and collecting evidence.

25 Jun 24

Children ride a roundabout in a play park next to destroyed buildings on November 14, 2022 in Borodyanka , Ukraine. Russia is believed to have deported tens of thousands of Ukrainian children to its own territory, subjecting them to indoctrination, forcing them to take Russian citizenship and often putting them up for adoption.

Children ride a roundabout in a play park next to destroyed buildings on November 14, 2022 in Borodyanka , Ukraine. Russia is believed to have deported tens of thousands of Ukrainian children to its own territory, subjecting them to indoctrination, forcing them to take Russian citizenship and often putting them up for adoption. © Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

Returning Ukraine’s Children

Legal experts consider Russia’s wide-scale illegal displacement and deportation of minors to be a war crime.

18 Jun 24

A woman cries while being evacuated from her home on March 06, 2023 in Kupiansk, Ukraine.

A woman cries while being evacuated from her home on March 06, 2023 in Kupiansk, Ukraine. © John Moore/Getty Images

Survivors of Sexual Violence Need Immediate Support

“It is not enough to bring perpetrators to justice; it is important to help people recover.”

11 Jun 24

A Ukrainian police officer stands guard in the hallway of a preliminary detention centre which is believed to have been used by Russian forces to jail and torture civilians on November 16, 2022 in Kherson, Ukraine.

A Ukrainian police officer stands guard in the hallway of a preliminary detention centre which is believed to have been used by Russian forces to jail and torture civilians on November 16, 2022 in Kherson, Ukraine. © Chris McGrath/Getty Images

“Do Not Be Silent and Do Not Be Afraid”

Victim of illegal detention describes her experience of trying to seek justice through the courts.

4 Jun 24

The village of Yahidne, Chernihiv region, was almost completely destroyed during the invasion of Russian troops.

The village of Yahidne, Chernihiv region, was almost completely destroyed during the invasion of Russian troops. © Ed Ram/Getty Images

How Investigative Journalists Can Support Justice

Open source and undercover work helped a team from the Suspilne media outlet identify a suspect in a notorious case of the abuse of civilians.

21 May 24

In March 2022, Ghukasyan fired some 20 shots at the car of 32-year-old civilian Dmytro Bondarenko as he drove along a road in the Kyiv region. He and his fellow soldiers buried the body in nearby forest.

In March 2022, Ghukasyan fired some 20 shots at the car of 32-year-old civilian Dmytro Bondarenko as he drove along a road in the Kyiv region. He and his fellow soldiers buried the body in nearby forest. © Anastasia Vlasova/Getty Images

How to Defend a War Crimes Case

Ukrainian lawyer explains the challenges – and vital importance – of an effective defence for Russian indictees.

14 May 24

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