Cybercrime

The Cybercrime Programme Office of the Council of Europe (C-PROC), through CyberEast+, a joint project of the European Union and of the Council of Europe and the CyberUA project, funded by voluntary contributions under the Action Plan of the Council of Europe, organised a three-day specialised training for practitioners from Ukrainian investigative and prosecutorial agencies on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Open Source Intelligence (OSINT), the investigation and forensics on war crimes and related offences. This exercise built on the achievements of the regional meeting on AI supported under CyberEast+ in 2025, which examined various AI tools used to facilitate cybercrime investigations and digital forensics.

The training was built around the Council of Europe Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence and the Convention on Cybercrime (Budapest Convention), which are practical instruments that can be used not only for the prosecution and adjudication of cybercrime offences, but also to ensure that human rights, democracy and the rule of law are upheld in the process. The exercise was conducted via the CYBOX online platform developed under the Octopus Project, which provides a comprehensive digital learning environment for accessing materials, engaging with practical exercises, and facilitating final assessments, structured feedback, as well as participant certification.

The event brought together 34 Ukrainian cybercrime investigators, detectives, forensic experts and prosecutors, specialising in the use of OSINT and of AI tools to facilitate investigations of war crimes and other related offences.

As a result of this initiative, Ukrainian counterparts enhanced their abilities to identify, collect and preserve electronic evidence from open and procedural sources, in line with applicable Ukrainian domestic powers and regulations. They also increased their knowledge on the Council of Europe legal standards, safeguards and guarantees applicable to AI, according to the Convention on Cybercrime and the Framework Convention on AI.

The CyberEast+ and the CyberUA projects will continue to improve the skills of cybercrime investigators and digital forensics experts in Ukraine through further specialised national and regional capacity building support.

Cybercrime Programme Office of the Council of Europe (C-PROC)

CyberEast+ Project

CyberUA Project

Regional meeting on AI

Council of Europe Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence

Convention on Cybercrime (Budapest Convention)

CYBOX online platform

Octopus Project