BLITZ INTERVIEW: Inna Bogatykh, Deputy Minister of Justice - "We Ukrainians really have a gene of freedom in our national character."

Ukraine and its allies must increase the sanctions to stop Russia's war, and other countries should be more aware of 'silent' Russian investments and thus Kremlin influence, Inna Bogatykh warns.

Where are you from? And where are you now? Doing what?

My name is Inna Bogatykh, I’m the Deputy Minister of Justice of Ukraine. My responsibility is international legislation, protection of the interests of Ukraine in international arbitration, and supporting the implementation of the sanctions of the asset forfeiture. Since I was born I have always lived in Ukraine.

What kind of studies and work did you do previously? Where?

I’m a lawyer, and before the unprovoked and illegal full-scale invasion by Russia in 2022, I worked in the banking sphere with perspective legislation—it means working with drafts of regulatory documents and laws.

How has the war in Ukraine changed your life? You personally?

The war has influenced the lives of everyone in Ukraine. On the first day of the invasion, I tried to move my family to a safe place in the Kyiv region, and (thank God) that place was not occupied by Russian troops - but a lot of Kyiv region was actually captured in the early days of the war.

I returned to Kyiv on the 25th of February to help Ukrainian defenders. I didn’t know what exactly I'd do, but I was absolutely sure that I couldn’t just sit and read the news. During the first months of the war, it was mostly about finding and transferring military equipment—drones, bulletproof vests, helmets, walkie-talkies, tablets and medicine. At least twice a week, I went to a hospital to help wounded defenders with clothes and other necessities. Later, when Kyiv and Chernihiv regions were de-occupied, I brought humanitarian aid to these territories with other volunteers.

(Inna delivering humanitarian aid in Bucha and Chernihiv, April 2022)

There are lot of photos and videos on my Facebook page from that period - but they come with very difficult memories. Most of this aid was paid for by other people - my friends, or even people that I didn’t know, in Ukraine and abroad - who really want to help the Ukrainians. And I sincerely thank from the bottom of my heart everyone who helped, who did not give up, and who continues to help us now.

(Inna and fellow volunteers delivering humanitarian aid to Kyiv region, May 2022)

After people started to return to Kyiv and I could transfer these processes to other people, I thought about how my knowledge and experience could be more useful to my country. At that point I received an offer to work in the Ministry of Justice in the sanctions department. And since June 2022, I have worked in the Ministry of Justice.

What has surprised you most about Ukrainians these past couple of years?

Our people are an amazing nation, because we really have a gene of freedom in our national character. Since 2014, a lot of men and women have stood up for the protection of Ukraine. Thousands of people have voluntary joined the Ukrainian army since February 2022. Everyone around me tries to help our defenders, they help at hospitals as volunteers and deliver the humanitarian aid to the de-occupied territories or regions near the frontline. A lot of people help with evacuations from dangerous places - primarily older people who cannot evacuate by themselves, and animals as well. There are countless examples of heroic deeds of ordinary people - who had ordinary, civil professions and normal lives before the Russian invasion.

Ukrainians were always a peaceful and friendly nation, but now we have had to learn how to defend our rights, country and democracy - by force. The war has changed us, thousands of families have sustained irreparable losses. Every day the Russian troops are attacking our cities with missiles and drones, killing civilians, including children, but we continue to defend our territory, our homes and democratic values, because we are absolutely sure that if we don’t stop Russia and bring it to justice, the Kremlin will go further.

(Inna and the two departments she coordinates: the Department of Sanctions Policy and the Department of International Law and Representation)

What are your future plans?

All of us had a lot of plans before the war, but now we are working and doing all possible and impossible things to win the war. Here in the Ministry of Justice, we are working a lot with the compensations mechanism, which includes The Register of Damages, The Compensation Commission and The Compensation Found. The Register of Damages started working in March 2024, now negotiations about creating the Compensation Commission are currently ongoing. I hope the Commission will start to work this year. The Compensations Found must be filled by frozen Russian assets.

All who has suffered as a result of the Russian aggression should receive compensation for their losses. The government institutions with our international partners continue to work on creating a Special Tribunal to hold Russia responsible. One of the most urgent tasks for Ukraine and our allies is to constantly increase the sanctions pressure on Russia and its satellites. There are a lot of tasks before Ukraine and international partners to deprive Russia of the means of warfare.

How do you see the war ending and Ukraine returning to a ‘normal life’?

It’s a difficult question, really. We understand that Putin is waging war not only for Ukrainian territories. He tries to demonstrate to all countries that Russia can do anything, any violation of international humanitarian law, customs of war, without any responsibility again and again.

The (bad) example of Russia will give birth to new wars, new victims, and new tragedies. Therefore, the conditions of peace should contain the obligation of Russia to compensate for all the damage and return the occupied territories. All war criminals must bear the inevitable responsibility. Russia should not be able to obtain raw materials, technology and equipment for the development of its military-industrial complex.

Only comprehensive pressure on Russia and maximum military and political support for Ukraine can force Putin to recognize Russia's inability to win the war against the entire democratic world.

As for the return of Ukraine to normal life - it is too early to talk about it, but I am sure that we will build a state with a strong army, high technology, and deep experience in military affairs. But along with this - I hope - we should also create the proper conditions for foreign investment, our justice system will be strengthened, and the best conditions for business and development will be created. We must find resources to support veterans, victims, and families of those killed. Ukraine faces difficult tasks, but we have already proved that Ukrainians are a strong nation that can not only take a blow, but also overcome challenges.

(Flag Day of Ukraine, August 2024)

Tell us one thing you don’t think people abroad know about Ukraine – but they really should?

If I could give advice to other countries, I would advise you to carefully analyze your own economies for the presence of Russian capital. Typically, these are indirect and carefully disguised investments through trusts, public companies, management funds etc. The presence of Russian capital in your economy is a risk to national security; it's not just about business, it's about controlling important spheres and the possibility of influencing the society.

This risk was real in Ukraine. There were areas in which the presence of Russian capital, according to analysts, exceeded 90%. We still have much to do cleaning the Ukrainian economy of Russian traces. But we do it day by day, step by step.