Over 80,000 missing: Lubinets described the scale of Russian crimes against Ukrainians
Kyiv • UNN
Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets reported that over 80,000 Ukrainians are considered missing due to Russian crimes, including the forced deportation of children. He proposed creating a joint working group with Azerbaijan to search for and identify the missing.
Over 80,000 people have gone missing in Ukraine due to the crimes of the Russian invaders. This particularly concerns the forced deportation and illegal displacement of Ukrainian children, writes UNN with reference to Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets.
I spoke at the International Conference "Uniting Efforts and Strengthening Cooperation to Address the Problem of Missing Persons" within the framework of the Baku Dialogue. For Ukraine, this is an opportunity to speak frankly about one of the most painful consequences of Russian aggression. In Ukraine today, about 80,000 citizens are considered missing under special circumstances. This is a direct consequence of the Russian Federation's actions in Ukraine: mass abductions of Ukrainian civilians, concealment of information about prisoners of war
The Ombudsman noted that a separate and particularly serious crime of the Russian invaders was the deportation and illegal displacement of Ukrainian children. Such a scale means thousands of personal tragedies and prolonged uncertainty for families.
A striking example is the story of Ukrainian children's writer Volodymyr Vakulenko. During the occupation of Kharkiv region, he was abducted by Russian military personnel. After de-occupation, a mass grave with over 400 bodies was discovered in Izium. Volodymyr was found under number 319. His death was confirmed by DNA examination. His fate became a symbol of Russia's crimes against life, culture, and humanity
Dmytro Lubinets added that Azerbaijan is well acquainted with similar challenges. The experience of this country, accumulated over decades in the field of searching for and identifying missing persons, is extremely valuable.
That is why I proposed to establish a joint working group of Ukraine and Azerbaijan with the participation of representatives of forensic medical institutions of the countries
He added that experience and resources will make it possible to strengthen the search, identification, and return of names to those who are still unknown.
And most importantly, the inevitable responsibility of the Russian Federation for these crimes must become a guarantee that such a thing will never happen again
Addition
As part of the prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine, 185 military personnel and 20 civilians who had been in captivity since practically 2022 were returned home. The youngest liberated defender was 26 years old. The oldest was 59 years old.
By signing the law on Russia's withdrawal from the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture, the Kremlin deprived the world of international control mechanisms over Russian prisons and occupied territories.