As a result of the prolonged hostilities in Ukraine, the issue of searching for and identifying missing persons has become critically urgent. The scale of disappearances is unprecedented in modern Europe. As of August 2025, the Unified Register of Persons Missing under Special Circumstances contained approximately 70,000 people. The search for missing persons is complicated by the lack of access to occupied territories and the intensity of the fighting, as well as the absence of complete and reliable lists of prisoners held by the Russian Federation.
Russians publish a lot of videos and photos of Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilian hostages on social media. Under these circumstances, the families of missing persons are often forced to conduct searches themselves, including by monitoring open sources. OSINT investigations are also carried out by authorised state bodies.
To improve the effectiveness of monitoring open sources, the Ukraine War Archive has developed the Missing People tool. The tool combines open sources, analytics, and data obtained through cooperation with government bodies and civil society.
During the expert discussion, we will reflect on how to establish a more coordinated and effective approach to the search for missing persons by combining technological solutions, analytical tools, and institutional cooperation between key stakeholders.
Speakers:
Eleonora Belei, Head of Research at the Ukraine War Archive;
Nataliia Yashchuk, Senior Manager for War Consequences Response at the Centre for Civil Liberties;
Representative of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.
Moderator:
Tetiana Katrychenko, journalist and head of the Media Initiative for Human Rights.
Organisers:
Ukraine War Archive and NGO Docudays.
Free admission upon pre-registration: https://forms.gle/2pnJpgmAM3KJTPaF9
This event will take place with the support of the Partnership Fund for a Resilient Ukraine, funded by the governments of the United Kingdom, Estonia, Canada, Norway, Finland, Switzerland, and Sweden.
