On 3 February, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Oleksandr Karasevych held a metting with a delegation of the International Commission on Missing Persons.

During the meeting, the parties discussed the current state and prospects of cooperation in locating missing persons amid Russia’s ongoing armed aggression against Ukraine. Representatives of the ICMP noted significant progress made by Ukraine in establishing a comprehensive system for tracing missing persons.

The ICMP delegation highly appreciated Ukraine’s use of modern identification methods, including DNA analysis, the development of integrated data management systems, and the close cooperation between state authorities, civil society, and families of missing persons. At the same time, both sides emphasized the unprecedented scale of the challenge, with the official number of missing persons exceeding 80,000.

Special attention was given to the support provided by the ICMP to Ukraine in strengthening forensic and criminal investigation capacities, including development of laboratory infrastructure, conducting post-mortem examinations, and proper documentation of evidence of injuries and torture. The parties stressed the importance of maintaining a proper chain of custody and documenting evidence for future accountability processes.

The discussion also focused on the need for further institutionalization of cooperation between Ukraine and the ICMP. Representatives of the Commission noted that establishing its legal status in Ukraine and concluding a formal agreement would significantly expand the scope of technical and expert assistance.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the parties confirmed their joint commitment to further deepen cooperation to support families of missing persons, address the humanitarian consequences of the war, and ensure justice and accountability for crimes committed.

The protection of the rights of prisoners of war, as well as the organization of releases and searches for missing Ukrainian defenders and civilians, remains a priority area for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.