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Colonel Dimitrios Papantoniou is a distinguished officer of the Hellenic Air Force with over three decades of operational and strategic experience, complemented by advanced academic credentials in international law, security studies, and the law of armed conflict. Currently serving as Staff Officer in the International Agreements Section of the Hellenic Air Force General Staff, he combines deep operational knowledge with scholarly rigor, positioning himself at the forefront of emerging legal challenges in the domain of cyber-armed conflicts.
A second-year PhD candidate at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens School of Law, under the supervision of Professor Linos-Alexander Sicilianos, former President of the European Court of Human Rights, Colonel Papantoniou is conducting pioneering research on “Rules of Engagement at the Crossroad of Jus ad Bellum and Jus in Bello.” His work bridges traditional armed conflict frameworks with the evolving realities of cyber operations, focusing on how established norms adapt—or fail to adapt—to the unique characteristics of the cyber domain.
His academic foundation includes an MSc in International and European Law and Governance, specializing in International Law and Diplomatic Studies, from Panteion University, and an MSc in International Relations and Security from the University of Macedonia. Notably, his postgraduate dissertation examined methodologies for drafting military manuals on International Humanitarian Law (IHL) through comparative analysis of U.S. and Danish armed forces’ experiences—research directly applicable to the creation of cyber rules of engagement and state practice documentation in cyberspace.
An alumnus of The Hague Academy of International Law, Colonel Papantoniou has undertaken specialized training on the Legal Dimension of Artificial Intelligence and has participated in advanced seminars on International Humanitarian Law, the Law of the Sea, and strategic leadership. These experiences have honed his ability to assess the intersection of AI, cyber capabilities, and military operations within the context of IHL and the law of cyber-armed conflicts.
His research interests focus on the use of military manuals and doctrine as evidence of state practice in customary international law, extending across all operational domains—including cyberspace. He advocates for the integration of cyber-specific rules within the broader LOAC/IHL framework, emphasizing proportionality, necessity, distinction, and due diligence in cyber operations. His expertise includes analyzing state responsibility for hostile cyber acts, attribution challenges, and the applicability of jus ad bellum thresholds in scenarios involving large-scale or destructive cyberattacks.
Colonel Papantoniou has published on matters of international law in recognized journals and platforms, including EJIL: Talk!, where his analysis of the United Nations’ first military manual underscores his understanding of doctrinal development and its implications for state behavior. His insights on conflict law are informed not only by academic research but also by extensive operational leadership, including command of a PATRIOT Weapon System Squadron and oversight of air defense training.
Through his combined military and legal expertise, Dimitrios Papantoniou is uniquely positioned to contribute to the evolving discourse on the regulation of cyber-armed conflicts. He stands as a leading voice in adapting the principles of international law to ensure that, even in the boundless realm of cyberspace, armed conflicts remain governed by the rule of law.
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