The criminalization of Ukrainian citizens for economic collaboration (Article 1111(4) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) is opposed by their exercise of the right to work, which is one of the fundamental human rights guaranteed both at the level of international documents and in national law. Under occupation, the state does not stop guaranteeing the right to work to Ukrainian citizens. In this aspect, it is important to find a balance between the realization of this right by Ukrainian citizens, its guarantee by Ukraine and criminalization for economic collaborationism (the “collaboration balance”). In order to understand this balance, it is important to bear in mind that in the occupied territories the right to work, although not directly ensured, protects civilians in terms of the exercise of this right in the occupied territories.

The purpose of the article is to determine the balance between bringing Ukrainian citizens to criminal liability for economic collaboration (Part 4 of Article 1111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) and the possibility for Ukrainian citizens in the temporarily occupied territories to exercise the right to work guaranteed by the State.

The analysis of 120 court verdicts under Part 4 of Art. 1111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine revealed the types of economic activity for which Ukrainian citizens were found guilty and convicted of economic collaboration. Some of these activities are covered by the concept of civil defense in the sense of international humanitarian law (for example, the organization of various public utilities).The mere provision of such services aimed at the life support of the population of the occupied territory, in the absence of other indicators indicating the existence of collaboration activities, does not constitute a crime under Part 4 of Article 1111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. If a citizen of Ukraine carries out economic activities aimed at survival under occupation, which consists, in particular, in the provision of certain services, in the absence of other signs of a criminal offense under Part 4 of Article 1111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, it indicates the absence of signs of economic collaboration.

Solving the problem of the “collaboration balance” in each specific case requires the collection of evidence indicating the illegal or lawful behavior of a citizen of Ukraine in the course of economic activity in the occupied territory in order to avoid mass conviction under Part 4 of Article 1111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The illegal behavior of a citizen of Ukraine may be evidenced, in particular, by his/her initiative in holding a managerial position at an enterprise, institution, organization operating in the occupied territory, a feature of the activity that indicates propaganda or dissemination of propaganda materials among the local population in the occupied territory, the implementation of contracts in cooperation with the defense, law enforcement, security agencies of the Russian Federation, as well as other state-owned enterprises, institutions, organizations, in particular through the Russian Federation.

Bibliography

Authored books

1. Edelstein D, Occupational hazards: success and failure in military occupation (Cornell University Press, 2008).

2. Pysmenskyi Ye, Kolaboratsionizm yak suspilno-politychne yavyshche v suchasnii Ukraini (kryminalno-pravovi aspekty): nauk. narys (Rumiantseva H. V. 2020) (in Ukrainian).

 3. Pysmenskyi Ye, Kryminalno-pravovi problemy protydii kolaboratsiinii diialnosti (Alerta 2024) (in Ukrainian).4. Shaikan V, Kolaboratsionizm na terytorii reikhskomisariatu “Ukraina” ta viiskovoi zony v period Druhoi svitovoi viiny’ (Mineral 2005) (in Ukrainian).

Edited books

 5. Hechter M, Vidal-Aparicio О, ‘Dynamics of military occupation’, C J Coyne, R L Mathers (ed), The handbook on the political economy of war (Edward Elgar 2011) 432–453.

6. Verbenskyi M (red), Kryminalna sytuatsiia v Ukraini v umovakh viiny: osnovni tendentsii. 2023 rik (TVORY 2024) (in Ukrainian).

7. Rubashchenko M (red), Kolaboratsionizm na tymchasovo okupovanykh terytoriiakh: problemy pravovoi otsinky, harantuvannia prav i svobod liudyny ta reintehratsii terytorii (Pravo 2024) (in Ukrainian).

Journal articles

8. Lammers С, ‘Occupation Regimes Alike and Unlike’ [2003] 24(9) Organization Studies 1177–1202.

9. Dolhoruchenko K, ‘Kolaboratsionizm yak fenomen viiny ta naukove poniattia v mezhakh istoryko-pravovykh doslidzhen’ [2022] 56 Naukovyi visnyk Mizhnarodnoho humanitarnoho universytetu. Seriia: Yurysprudentsiia 16–19 (in Ukrainian).

10. Zubchenko O, ‘Sotsialno-prostorovyi vymir ekonomichnoho kolaboratsionizmu (na prykladi Zaporizkoi oblasti)’ [2023] 55 Habitus 21–27 (in Ukrainian).

11. Turchyn R, ‘Kolaboratsionizm v umovakh voiennoho stanu v Ukraini: okremi problemy ta shliakhy yikh podolannia’ [2025] 1 Analitychno-porivnialne pravoznavstvo 71–75 (in Ukrainian).

Theses

12. Marcum A, ‘To Dictate the Peace: Power, Strategy, and Success in Military Occupations’ (Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation, 2015).