Unexplained fates in the war
ICRC: At least 23,000 missing in Ukraine
February 19, 2024, 12:22 p.m
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Shortly after the start of the war in Ukraine, the International Committee of the Red Cross set up an office to search for missing persons. According to the organization, she was able to help many families. However, the fate of tens of thousands of people remains uncertain.
At least 23,000 people are missing in Ukraine. Their fate is unclear, as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reported in Geneva. They could have been arrested or abducted or died; or relatives lost sight of each other during the escape, the ICRC said.
By the end of January, the ICRC had helped 8,000 Russian and Ukrainian families obtain information about the fate or whereabouts of their missing relatives, the organization reported. “Not knowing what happened to a loved one is unbearable, and this is the tragic reality for tens of thousands of families who live in constant fear,” said Dusan Vujasanin, the ICRC’s head in charge -search service, with.
The ICRC quoted a family member searching for relatives as saying: “I have no more tears, only pain and my heart is breaking.” The ICRC set up the Missing Persons Search Office in March 2022, shortly after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It helps families on both sides of the conflict.
According to the Geneva Conventions, which apply worldwide, parties involved in conflicts are obliged to collect and exchange information about prisoners. The ICRC is the neutral mediator between the two. The Geneva Conventions are intended to protect people who are not or no longer involved in hostilities. They are the core of international humanitarian law.