More than 90,000 Ukrainians have been officially registered as missing under special circumstances, including both military personnel and civilians, according to Artur Dobroserdov, Commissioner for Missing Persons in Special Circumstances, Ukrainska Pravda reports.
The figures highlight the human cost of the conflict and the ongoing difficulties faced by Ukraine in accounting for both military personnel and civilians who have disappeared amid Russia’s invasion.
Most of those listed are members of Ukraine’s defense forces, Dobroserdov told Ukrainska Pravda.
Official records likely undercount true scale of disappearances
The register covers all categories of missing people, including children, and reflects only official records, which may undercount the true scale of disappearances during the ongoing war with Russia.
Families of missing soldiers and civilians face complex challenges in tracking the status of their relatives, navigating multiple institutions including the military, police, and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
"Not all survive the wait"
Relatives say the uncertainty surrounding missing loved ones takes a severe emotional toll. “Families of missing and captured soldiers are constantly in emotional distress,” said Svіtlana Bilous, whose husband in the military has been missing since April 2023.
“Not all survive the wait to see their relative return from captivity or be confirmed dead,” she told Ukrainska Pravda.
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