On May 15, 2026, the All-Ukrainian Association of Polygraph Examiners (VAP), together with the Department of Criminalistics at Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University, held an international panel discussion at the “Kharkiv Unbreakable 2026” International Lawyers’ Forum on the topic “The Polygraph in Defense Strategy: From Ensuring Individual Rights to Defense in Court.”

Members of the Ukrainian Association of Polygraph Examiners (UAPE)—including polygraph researchers, university professors, attorneys, and certified forensic experts from four forensic research institutions within the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine—presented a series of professionally significant, in-depth, and engaging papers during the panel discussion. All of them will be included in a collection of scientific papers scheduled for publication.

And now, we present a photo report on the UAP’s participation in the panel discussion “The Polygraph in the Strategy of Legal Defense: From Ensuring Individual Rights to Defense in Court”:

Panel Discussion Moderators: Viktor Shevchuk – Doctor of Law, Professor, Honored Lawyer of Ukraine, Head of the Department of Criminalistics at Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University, Chair of the Scientific and Methodological Council of the Ukrainian Association of Legal Experts; Tetyana Morozova – Doctor of Psychology, Professor, Certified Forensic Expert, President of the VAP.

 

Professor Viktor Shevchuk delivered a presentation titled “Trends and Prospects for the Use of Polygraphs in Legal Practice: Legal Realities, Methodological Issues, and Areas for Improvement.”

Professor Tetiana MOROZOVA presented a paper titled “Conclusions of a Forensic Psychological Examination Using a Polygraph: What Lawyers Need to Pay Attention To” LINK, as well as a joint paper with Svitlana LASUNOVA, Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences, certified forensic expert, employee of the Odessa Research Institute of Forensic Expertise, and chair of the VAP Forensic Expert Council, on the topic: “Current Trends in the Development of Forensic Psychological Examination Using a Computerized Polygraph”

Anton Shmukin, Head of the Laboratory of Psychological, Linguistic, and Other Research at the Dnipro Research Institute of Forensic Expertise, presented a report titled: “Specifics of Ordering and Conducting Forensic Psychological Examinations Using a Computerized Polygraph.”

Vitaliy Sokolkin, Candidate of Legal Sciences, delivered a presentation titled “Strategies for Collaboration Between a Lawyer and a Polygraph Specialist and Forensic Expert: From Initiating the Examination to Using the Results in Court.”

Inna KOLESNIKOVA, Candidate of Legal Sciences, Associate Professor, and Associate Professor in the Department of Criminalistics at Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University, presented a paper titled “Current Issues in the Use of Polygraph Results in Combination with Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) in Legal Investigations.”

Tetyana KHARINA, a leading forensic expert at the National Scientific Center “M.S. Bokarius,“ delivered a presentation titled ”Effective Communication Between a Lawyer and a Forensic Expert When Ordering a Forensic Examination Using a Polygraph: Legal, Methodological, and Ethical Aspects.”

Yaroslav MISHKOV, Candidate of Legal Sciences, Associate Professor, and Associate Professor in the Department of Criminalistics at Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University, presented a paper titled “Challenges and Opportunities in the Use of Polygraphs in Criminal Proceedings: Practical Aspects and Their Role in Legal Defense.”

Lyudmila DROZDOVA, Ph.D. in Psychology, Associate Professor, faculty member at Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs, and Chair of the Ukrainian Bar Association’s Kharkiv Regional Branch, delivered a presentation titled “Challenges in the Collaboration Between Lawyers and Polygraph Examiners During Polygraph Examinations: Organizational and Practical Aspects.”

Oleksandr KURMAN, Candidate of Legal Sciences, Associate Professor, and Associate Professor in the Department of Criminalistics at Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University, presented a paper titled “Polygraph Examinations in the Practice of Lawyers and Some Issues in the Application of Modern Technologies for Detecting Concealed Information.”

Konstantin OSTAPOV, attorney and head of the Ukrainian Bar Association’s branch in the Poltava region, delivered a presentation titled “The Role of the Polygraph in the Strategy and Tactics of Legal Defense: Practical and Methodological Aspects.”

Tetyana TAMAKOVA, Head of the Psychological Research Laboratory at the Kyiv Research Institute of Forensic Expertise and a certified forensic expert, presented an online report on the topic: “Specifics of ordering a forensic psychological examination using a polygraph at the initiative of the defense attorney.”

The panel discussion also featured Oleksandr MOROZOV, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, Honored Worker of Science and Technology of Ukraine, Honorary Academician of the National Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine, and instructor at the Tetyana Morozova Center for Expert Polygraph Research—a professional school for the training and continuing education of polygraph examiners accredited by the Scientific and Methodological Council of the Ukrainian Association of Polygraph Examiners (UAPE).

On the same day, another important and significant event took place at the Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University: the opening of the Center for Polygraphy, Digital Forensics, and Forensic Expertise.

We are convinced that the Center, which will operate at Ukraine’s leading law school in the freedom-loving Slobozhanshchyna region—renowned for its independent thinking—will finally break down the barriers of distrust and skepticism toward the polygraph among future generations of Ukrainian lawyers.

Anatoliy Pavlovych Hetman—Rector of the Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University, Academician of the National Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine, Doctor of Law, Professor, Honored Worker of Science and Technology of Ukraine, and recipient of the State Prize of Ukraine—explains to guests and university staff the significance of the event they are witnessing.

A historic moment—less than a minute until the Center opens…

The “Axition” polygraph is already set up and waiting for its first subject at the Center.

Professor Viktor Shevchuk explains how the idea for the Center came about and what the stages of its creation were.

Inna Kolesnikova, Ph.D. in Law and Associate Professor, selected the first respondent at the Center—luck was on Akim’s side!

Professor Viktor Shevchuk explains to the class, which is adjacent to the polygraph examiner’s office, how the sessions will be conducted.

On the table is a “Rubicon” polygraph. Next to the table is the polygraph examiner’s chair, which has been in use at the VAP for several years. Similar chairs have been purchased by many Ukrainian polygraph examiners, including some sent to satisfied customers abroad. The chair pictured was donated to the Center for Polygraphy, Digital Forensics, and Forensic Expertise at the Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University by VAP President Tetiana MOROZOVA.

Participants will have the opportunity to observe what is happening in the polygraph examiner’s office, as the polygraph readings displayed on the screen of his laptop are projected onto a large screen in the auditorium.

We thank everyone involved in these landmark events and move forward, because there is no limit to excellence when there is a desire to be the best in our profession! Glory to Ukraine! Glory to unbreakable Kharkiv!