Mass indictments would sow suspicion in communities, overwhelm the legal system and sideline a vital workforce
Ukrainian forces are in the midst of a counteroffensive aimed at liberating all of the country, including regions under occupation since 2014. If they are successful, they face the challenge not just of physically rebuilding decimated areas and documenting Russian war crimes, but also of how to deal with Ukrainian collaborators – people who are judged to have aided and abetted the occupation.
Kyiv’s approach to collaborators was front of mind at the Ukrainian Recovery conference in London last week, as international supporters met Ukrainian government representatives and civil society. While calling for a hard line on collaborators is popular, that approach could ultimately prove shortsighted and hamper Ukraine’s immediate efforts at integration and rebuilding, as well as its long-term social cohesion.
Simon Schlegel is Ukraine analyst for the International Crisis Group
