In October, the Ukrainian Red Cross held information meetings with the families of missing persons and prisoners of war in the Volyn region
Residents of the Manevychi, Prylisne, Liubeshiv, Ivanychi, Zymne, Pavlivka, and Lokachi territorial communities were informed about the activities of the organisations, the rules for searching for missing persons under special circumstances, the powers of these organisations, and received the necessary contact information to apply for the search for their relatives.
The events were attended by representatives of the Western Centre of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, the Civil-Military Cooperation Department of the Operational Command ‘West,’ the Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Centre, the Pension Fund of Ukraine, the Department of Social Protection of the Population, as well as district and village councils.
Representatives of the Operational Command ‘West’ discussed communication with military unit commanders, the procedure for returning personal belongings of missing persons, and the processing of financial payments. They also highlighted the work of a dedicated unit tasked with searching for and repatriating the bodies of the deceased. Representatives of the Coordination Headquarters spoke about the possibility of creating a personal account in the Diia application, as well as events and programmes offered by the headquarters. Representatives from the Investigation Department provided information on pre-trial investigations in criminal proceedings initiated at the request of families, investigative actions, the specifics of DNA testing and victim identification, and communication with investigators. The participants were also given contact details for the centres at the regional departments of the National Police.
Relatives of servicemen were also given the opportunity to ask questions related to the exchange process, including compiling lists of individuals for exchange, DNA testing, payments to families of missing persons, communication with state authorities and military unit commanders, as well as existing benefits for such families. Special attention was given to legislative issues and amendments currently being considered by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
A volunteer specialising in restoring family links spoke about the activities of the Volyn regional branch of the Ukrainian Red Cross in searching for missing persons, confirming their captivity, and collaborating with the National Information Bureau, the Coordination Headquarters, local authorities, and providing psychological, legal, and financial support to families.
It should be noted that local governments are in contact with families within their areas of responsibility and are addressing urgent issues. To improve communication with families in the regions, it was essential to meet in person with representatives of local governments, community officials, and volunteers from the Ukrainian Red Cross.
