Denisova: 30-40% of missing soldiers turn up alive – compensation will have to be returned
10 October 2025 14:45
EXCLUSIVE
The state decided to refund payments for soldiers missing in action under special circumstances in the amount of UAH 2 million, as 30-40% of soldiers with this status return from captivity. It is also planned to refund UAH 15 million in compensation for the deceased if he was mistakenly recognized as dead and was actually in captivity. Former ombudsman and human rights activist Lyudmyla Denisova told this in an interview with [Komersant ].
According to the human rights activist, according to various sources, about 75,000 Ukrainian servicemen are currently considered missing under special circumstances, i.e., missing during hostilities. During the exchange of prisoners, it turns out that 30-40% of those who returned had been missing for two to three years. During this time, families receive payments and even have time to spend them. But as soon as the soldier is “resurrected,” the family has to somehow return the money they received.
“Sometimes unit commanders recognize a missing person as missing under special circumstances, and then the court declares him dead. The family receives UAH 2 million as for the deceased, since there is no confirmation that he died during the fighting, and therefore, they are not entitled to UAH 15 million. Formally, it turns out that he was killed while performing military duties,” says Denisova.
The human rights activist emphasizes that the status of a missing person is granted under special circumstances by the Commissioner for Missing Persons at the Ministry of Internal Affairs. After an official investigation, an act is drawn up stating that a person went missing during a combat engagement or combat mission. That is, the drone flew out, they checked and there were no missing persons among the 200 (dead), and no missing persons among the 300 (wounded). That’s it – the person is considered missing.
“There is a criminal proceeding, there is a status, there is a register in which he is listed as missing under special circumstances. And when missing persons are returned during an exchange, it sometimes turns out that the family has already received UAH 2 million. When this became a widespread phenomenon, when the number of people returned from captivity increased, the government decided that the money needed to be returned somehow. And MPs amended the legislation to stop the payments and return them in accordance with the procedure determined by the Cabinet of Ministers,” Denisova said.
The Cabinet of Ministers decided that these payments can be returned voluntarily. But if they are not returned, nothing will happen. In addition, many people have nothing to return if the money has been spent. Now it is up to the court to decide, the human rights activist emphasizes. And this applies even to cases where a person was mistakenly recognized as dead, and the family has already received UAH 15 million in compensation.
