Good morning, this is Kasmira. As the war in Ukraine rages on three years after Russia’s full-scale invasion, European leaders are holding emergency talks in Brussels to ramp up military support.
Meanwhile, back on the ground, a Geneva-based NGO is helping foreign combatants fighting alongside Ukrainian forces navigate the blurred lines of war by training them in international humanitarian law. |
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Rodion, (left) a veteran of the Donbas wars and an IHL officer for Geneva Call, sits down with foreign fighters in the Ukraine army for a training programme on how to abide by the rules of war, in Kyiv, February 2025. (Geneva Solutions/Louis Lemaire-Sicre)
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Scarred by shrapnel and wearing a pirate-style patch over his damaged right eye, Rodion walks from his computer to a presentation board. Written on it is a list of banned weapons, including certain types of ammunition, expanding bullets, undetectable shrapnel, as well as chemical, biological and nuclear weapons.
Rodion, originally from the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, is a veteran of the Donbas wars and now works as a trainer and project officer for Geneva Call, a Swiss organisation that promotes adherence to international humanitarian law (IHL) among non-state armed groups and military forces engaged in conflict. Active in Ukraine since 2018, the NGO trains fighters on the rules of war, focusing on the protection of civilians, the treatment of prisoners and the prohibition of certain weapons, such as anti-personnel mines and chemical weapons.
Rodion’s role became even more critical after Russia’s 2022 invasion, as he began working closely with Ukrainian units, including foreign volunteers, to ensure compliance with IHL and counter any Russian attempts to manipulate potential violations. Geneva Call, which maintains a neutral stance militarily, strives to ensure that Ukrainian fighters operate within a legal and ethical framework, strengthening their international credibility.
Read the full story on Geneva Solutions.
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