Budanov announced a new algorithm for identifying the fallen — what will change
Kyiv • UNN
More than 26,000 bodies and remains have been returned to Ukraine, a significant portion of which remains unidentified. To speed up identification, an interagency group will be created.
Ukraine will establish an interagency group to expedite the identification of fallen defenders. This was reported by the head of the Office of the President (OP), Kyrylo Budanov, on October 2 following a meeting of the Coordination Council, UNN reports.
In addition, plans include reviewing the work of forensic medical examination bureaus and attracting additional international capabilities to conduct DNA testing.
Details
According to Budanov, as part of repatriation efforts, more than 26,000 bodies and remains of the deceased have already been returned to Ukraine, but a significant portion of them still remains unidentified. He emphasized that establishing the name of every fallen defender is a matter of the state’s responsibility.
"The name of every fallen defender who gave their life for our country must be established and announced. This is a matter of the state’s responsibility," Budanov emphasized.
Therefore, the main topic of the Coordination Council meeting was finding ways to expedite the process of identifying the deceased. Budanov noted that bureaucratic delays and violations of established regulations in the forensic medical examination system are unacceptable in this case. As a result, the participants developed a specific action plan. In particular, Ukraine will establish an interagency group to address problematic issues related to the identification of the deceased and review the work of forensic medical examination bureaus, especially in the regions,
"We will additionally engage international capabilities to conduct DNA examinations. The government will adopt all the necessary regulatory and legal decisions in the near future," Budanov promised.
He also emphasized that families should receive information about the fate of their loved ones as soon as possible, and that every deceased Ukrainian defender must be identified and honored with dignity.
Reminder
The government plans to speed up the identification of repatriated bodies and strengthen coordination among agencies. More than UAH 600 million has been allocated in the 2027 budget to equip 21 forensic medical examination bureaus.