Koba, Valeriy
Negotiators of the Special Forces of the National Police of Ukraine: A Project Born of War

The report will focus on the activities of the National Police of Ukraine in the field of conflict de-escalation and the use of special negotiators during crisis operations. It will provide an overview of the National Police and the specifics of its work during the full-scale war with the Russian Federation, highlighting new challenges, expanded functions, combat operations, and the experience gained while operating in crisis conditions. Attention will be given to the first steps in creating a system of police negotiators with the support of American partners, as well as the unique features of selecting and training negotiators during wartime with the assistance of international experts and Ukrainian civilian specialists.

The presentation will also cover the history, structure, and legal framework of the KORD special unit, Ukraine's equivalent of SWAT, and explain its role in conducting special operations. Examples will be provided of KORD's crisis response missions and its interaction with trained negotiators, supported by statistics and descriptions of the types of incidents that have required the involvement of both negotiators and assault teams during the war. Several specific incidents will be analyzed in detail.

In addition, the report will outline the general crime situation in Ukraine during wartime, paying particular attention to the psychological health of citizens affected by the conflict, as well as the behavioral characteristics of veterans and their families. Finally, it will present the planned measures for the continued development of the police negotiator project and extend an invitation to exchange experiences and adopt best practices from American crisis response teams.

Valeriy Koba - Bio
Koba Valeriy is a citizen of Ukraine, a Police Colonel, and holds a Ph.D. in Law. He currently serves as Head of the Department for Support of the Chief of the National Police of Ukraine. Since joining the internal affairs agencies (National Police of Ukraine) in 1999, he has gained extensive experience in criminal investigations, documenting cybercrimes, and ensuring public safety at the regional level. In 2022, he worked as a leading consultant on legal and service issues at the Main Directorate of the National Police of Ukraine in Kyiv. Since May 2023, he has been heading the office of the Head of the National Police of Ukraine, where he coordinates projects related to the development of polygraphology, crisis communications, and the integration of negotiators during special operations. Since 2023, he has also been working closely with international partners, primarily the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) of the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine, to implement reform projects for the Ukrainian police that began in 2015.