Executive Summary
War Crimes Documentation System: 100+ trained specialists with ICC-compliant procedures modeled on Ukraine's Office of the Prosecutor General structure. Components: 6 mobile investigative groups (prosecutors, investigators, forensic technicians, digital evidence specialists), evidence preservation protocols (chain of custody, digital authentication per Berkeley Protocol), secure evidence storage (physical and digital with blockchain verification), international cooperation frameworks (ICC, Eurojust Joint Investigation Team, bilateral), witness protection procedures, and rapid DNA processing capability. Lithuania founded the Ukraine JIT in March 2022—this initiative builds domestic capacity matching that international leadership.
Credible prosecution capability deters war crimes (potential perpetrators know they will be documented). Positions Lithuania as regional leader in international justice (already co-founded Ukraine JIT). Enables immediate contribution to ongoing Ukraine accountability efforts. Creates transferable capability for NATO partners. Supports rule of law as core democratic value.
In short: 100+ trained documentation specialists; 6 mobile investigative groups; 48-hour crime scene response; ICC-admissible evidence capability; integration with existing Ukraine JIT framework; deterrence through credible prosecution threat
The Problem
Ukrainian justice foundation: systematic documentation enabled 190,000+ war crime cases filed. Ukrainian prosecutor: 'Bucha was documented within 72 hours of liberation. Every body photographed, GPS-tagged, witness statements recorded. ICC-compliant evidence—this will be used in trials for decades.' The scale is staggering: 458 bodies in Bucha, 440+ in Izium mass graves, systematic torture facilities discovered in every liberated area. ICC issued arrest warrant for Putin based partly on Ukrainian-collected evidence. This is the standard Lithuania must match.
Lithuania co-founded the Ukraine Joint Investigation Team in March 2022 (with Poland and Ukraine), demonstrating international leadership. However, domestic capacity remains limited. Compare to Ukraine: 200 war crimes prosecutors (100 central, 120 regional), 28 mobile investigative groups, 500 full-time war crimes staff, mobile DNA laboratories, advanced forensic capabilities. Lithuania has general prosecution capacity but no specialized war crimes documentation unit, no mobile forensic teams configured for atrocity crime scenes, no Berkeley Protocol-trained digital evidence specialists, and no rapid DNA processing capability.
Without action: If occupation or combat occurs, evidence will be lost or inadmissible. Without documentation capability: bodies decompose without identification, crime scenes contaminated, witnesses dispersed, digital evidence deleted or manipulated, chain of custody broken. Result: war crimes go unpunished. Historical lesson from ICTY: cases failed when evidence collection was delayed or chain of custody compromised. Deterrence requires credible prosecution threat—criminals must know they will be documented.
Lithuanian Context
Lithuania demonstrated international leadership by co-founding the Ukraine Joint Investigation Team in March 2022—one month after invasion. This initiative builds domestic capacity matching that international commitment. Lithuania's geographic position—65km from Suwalki Gap, bordering Kaliningrad and Belarus—means any conflict scenario includes potential for war crimes requiring documentation. Russian conduct in Ukraine (190,000+ documented crimes) indicates systematic atrocity policy that would likely apply to any occupied Baltic territory.
Small territory (65,300 km²) means mobile teams can reach any location within hours. Border areas with Belarus and Kaliningrad exclave are highest-risk zones requiring pre-positioned capability. Urban centers (Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipėda) require different documentation approaches than rural areas. Baltic Sea coast presents unique evidence preservation challenges. Suwalki Gap corridor is critical—any Russian attempt to connect Belarus and Kaliningrad would transit Lithuanian territory.