Netherlands Donates Mobile Lab to Ukraine for War Crimes Investigations

Ukraine will soon receive a mobile forensic laboratory to investigate war crimes, following the Netherlands’ donation of a Joint Deployable Exploitation and Analysis Laboratory (JDEAL).

A Ukrainian delegation signed the transfer contract, marking another step in international support for forensic investigations in the conflict zone.

JDEAL consists of 13 containers equipped for forensic and technical investigations, including fingerprint analysis, DNA examination, and mobile phone data retrieval. The mobile lab can be deployed within days and transported easily. A team from Ukraine has already undergone training in the Netherlands to operate the facility, which will be managed by the Hon. Prof. MS Bokarius Forensic Science Institute under the Ukrainian Ministry of Justice.

This donation is classified as a civilian contribution rather than a military one, reflecting the Netherlands' commitment to accountability in Ukraine. The Dutch government has previously sent forensic teams from the Royal Marechaussee to Ukraine under the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) mandate. It also provides financial and material assistance for war crimes investigations.

JDEAL is a European Defence Agency initiative led by the Netherlands, designed to enhance international forensic cooperation. The lab will be transported to Kyiv as soon as possible to support ongoing efforts to document and investigate war crimes.