More than 80,000 people have gone missing in Ukraine due to Russian aggression, says Lubinets
More than 80,000 Ukrainians are considered missing due to crimes committed by Russian occupiers, in particular forced deportation and illegal transfer of children. This was announced by the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, during the international conference “Joining Forces and Strengthening Cooperation to Address the Issue of Missing Persons” within the framework of the Baku Dialogue.
“In Ukraine today, about 80,000 citizens are considered missing under special circumstances. This is a direct consequence of the actions of the Russian Federation in Ukraine: mass abductions of Ukrainian civilians, concealment of information about prisoners of war. A separate and particularly serious crime was the deportation and illegal transfer of Ukrainian children. This scale means thousands of personal tragedies and prolonged uncertainty for families,” the ombudsman stressed.
He separately emphasized that the deportation of Ukrainian children is one of the most serious crimes committed by the Russian occupiers. Such actions create thousands of personal tragedies and leave families in a state of uncertainty.
Lubinec cited the tragic fate of Ukrainian writer Volodymyr Vakulenko, who was kidnapped during the occupation of the Kharkiv region. After the liberation of Izium, his body was found in a mass grave among more than 400 victims. The ombudsman called this story a symbol of Russia’s crimes against life, culture, and humanity.
He also proposed the creation of a joint Ukrainian-Azerbaijani working group to search for and identify missing persons. “Azerbaijan’s experience in this area is extremely valuable. Working together will help intensify the search and restore the names of those who are still missing,” he said.
“And most importantly, Russia’s inevitable responsibility for these crimes must be a guarantee that this will never happen again,” Dmytro Lubinets concluded.
