On April 1, 2026, as part of the UCU Connect event, a speech was given by Roman Chumak, a lawyer and managing partner of the Ares Law Firm, on the topic "How to Record War Crimes Using the EyeWitness Application." This meeting became one of the most practical and at the same time most important in the context of modern challenges for Ukraine.
The UCU Connect format itself traditionally combines education and live communication, creating a space for the exchange of ideas between representatives of various fields - from entrepreneurship to state-building. At the same time, the event has a clear civic position: participation in it involves a donation to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which adds not only a meaningful but also a valuable dimension to the event.
Roman Chumak's speech went far beyond a theoretical lecture. It was a lively conversation about what documenting war crimes "in the field" looks like - with specific cases, mistakes, and real tools that are already working at the international level today.
The central element of the discussion was the EyeWitness to Atrocities application - a tool that allows you to securely collect photo and video evidence with automatic metadata fixation. It is these details - time, place, file immutability - that determine whether the evidence can be used in international courts.
During the speech, the participants learned that documenting war crimes is not just a recording of events, but a process that requires accuracy, caution and an understanding of legal standards. In particular, Roman Chumak focused on how to properly collect evidence so that it meets the requirements of international law and can be used in institutions such as the International Criminal Court.
At the same time, the audience received not only warnings, but also clear tools. It was analyzed in detail how EyeWitness works, how to use it correctly and why it is already a standard for human rights defenders and journalists in conflict zones today.
This speech showed: the recording of war crimes is the area of responsibility not only of professional lawyers or investigators, but also of citizens who may witness the events. But the effectiveness of this participation directly depends on understanding the rules and tools.
UCU Connect once again confirmed its role as a platform where knowledge, experience and values are combined. And Roman Chumak's speech is a reminder that the truth requires not only courage, but also professionalism.