The issue of forensic support for the pre-trial investigation of ecocide

Abstract

The article considers the current issues of combating ecocide crimes and certain other criminal offenses against the environment as consequences of the military aggression of the Russian Federation. The authors draw attention to the fact that ecological security is an important component of the national security in Ukraine. That is why the investigation of ecocide as a serious crime is attributed to the jurisdiction of investigative security bodies. The purpose of the study is to consider organizational issues of interaction between the investigator and the prosecutor with other state and non-state bodies, conduct of separate investigative (search) actions and assignment of forensic examinations during the detection and pre-trial investigation of environmental crimes and ecocide as consequences of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. Particular attention is paid to the issues of preparation and conduct of the inspection of the scene of the incident, the use of special knowledge and assistance of a specialist by investigators, and consideration of the tasks and possibilities of forensic environmental examination. General scientific and special methods were applied, whose methodology is based on analytical and comparative approaches to solving the problem of combating environmental crimes and forensic support for the activities of operational and investigative units of law enforcement agencies. As a result, it was found that the activities of operational units and pre-trial investigation bodies to detect and investigate ecocide today require proper forensic support, which concerns both the organization of the investigation and the tactics of conducting individual investigative actions. In conclusion, the authors argue that a prompt and complete investigation of each fact of ecocide and other crimes against the environment is important for the formation of claims in international justice bodies in order to hold the top military-political leadership of the Russian Federation, which actually sanctioned the destruction of Ukraine's nature, accountable, and will serve to recover compensation from the aggressor state for the material damage caused. At the same time, it determines the effectiveness of the pre-trial investigation.