Identification of Ukrainian prisoners of war is one of the key and at the same time the most sensitive areas of work of Ukrainian forensic experts. UNN learned from Oleksandr Ruvin, Director of Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise, how the relevant work is going on today.
Identification of Ukrainian prisoners of war is an extremely important, but at the same time very emotionally and morally difficult process. It is clear that every family that turns to us hopes to receive clear answers and expects a quick resolution. This imposes a great responsibility on our experts. Currently, we have more than 300 requests for portrait examinations and related identification studies. We realize that each case is not just about working with data or samples, it is the fate of specific people, the pain of their loved ones. Therefore, our experts work not only with scientific precision, but also with great humanity
He emphasized that this area is being implemented in close cooperation with the Office of the Ombudsman of Ukraine, which helps to provide more prompt access to information and support families looking for their loved ones.
“The issue of identification in war is extremely complicated, as the photos and videos provided by relatives are posted in various messengers and publics. They are used as comparative samples, but very often they are of poor quality - this is one of the main difficulties in conducting relevant analyzes,“ explained the Director of Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise.”
Experts are looking for ways to improve the work in the field of identification.
“We are looking for ways to improve not only in Ukraine, but also by cooperating with the international expert community. It is important for us to be at the forefront of technological progress and innovations in the field of forensic science. Among the latter, last week our experts took part in the seminar “Facial Identification: Discussion of Best Practices” held in The Hague under the auspices of the International Commission on Missing Persons.
It was a very useful experience, as the experts of Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise had the opportunity to exchange knowledge and practices with international experts. During the seminar, key topics were discussed, such as: the phased structure of forensic facial identification, the most modern methods of image and video processing, the implementation of quality management systems in this area, as well as the use of face comparison software.
We will continue to work on our professional development so that we can apply the knowledge and skills we have gained in practice as soon as possible,” Ruvin said.