More than 3.7 thousand citizens returned to Ukraine from captivity: details

20 November 2024 17:26

As a key body in protecting the rights and interests of Ukrainian prisoners of war, missing persons and their families, the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War has organized more than 50 exchanges and other special measures since February 24, 2022, as a result of which 3,767 military and civilians have returned to Ukraine.

Established at the beginning of the full-scale invasion out of urgent necessity, the Coordination Center takes care of the defenders of Ukraine who are in captivity of the aggressor state, civilians deprived of their personal freedom as a result of armed aggression, persons missing in connection with the armed conflict, hostilities, temporary occupation of part of the territory of Ukraine, etc.

Vitaliy Serdyuk, Senior Partner at AVER LEX Attorneys at Law, which provides legal support on the basis of a Memorandum of Cooperation concluded with the Coordination Headquarters, draws attention to the fact that a step-by-step procedure has been developed for the families of captives and missing persons with an algorithm of where to go, how to apply and what to do.

Thus, according to Vitaliy Serdyuk, if a family becomes aware of a military or civilian in captivity or is considered missing, they should do the following:

Submit a statement on missing persons, their abduction or capture to the relevant territorial body of the National Police of Ukraine.
Record the registration number of the application, as well as take an extract from the URPTI, which will contain the name of the investigator in the case.
Along with submitting a statement of this fact, submit a biological sample for DNA profile. Samples are taken from the biological parents or children of the missing person.
Register in the Personal Account of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War and file a report on the capture or disappearance of a Defender.
Apply to the National Information Bureau, the Joint Center for the Search and Release of Prisoners of War at the Security Service of Ukraine, the Bureau of the Central Agency of the International Committee of the Red Cross for the International Armed Conflict in Ukraine and the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances.

“Based on the Memorandum, AVER LEX team is always ready to provide free legal assistance in preparing the necessary documents and other accompanying consultations. I would like to emphasize that the Coordination Headquarters was established on the basis of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine and is the only competent authority for the exchange of prisoners and the search for missing persons. It is important to trust the information provided exclusively by official representatives of the Coordination Headquarters and to address official inquiries to public reception offices and counseling centers,” noted Vitaliy Serdyuk.

Contacts of the Coordination Center for inquiries: