What is the Red Cross doing about 23,000 missing in Ukraine war?

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The Red Cross is actively seeking to ascertain the fate of 23,000 individuals missing amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is engaged in efforts to determine whether these 23,000 people have been captured, killed, or have lost contact after being displaced from their homes. This initiative is being managed by a dedicated bureau of the ICRC's Central Tracing Agency (CTA), established specifically to address disappearances related to the conflict. The agency is working to provide answers to families, who have a right under international law to know the whereabouts and fate of their relatives.
Establishment of a Dedicated Tracing Bureau

Following Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, the ICRC established a special bureau within its Central Tracing Agency (CTA). This bureau is specifically tasked with locating individuals who have gone missing on both sides of the conflict. This dedicated operation represents the largest such effort since World War II and is the first specialised CTA bureau for a specific international armed conflict in over three decades.
Scale of Inquiries and Information Provided

Over the past two years, the ICRC has received an extensive volume of over 115,000 inquiries from family members in both Russia and Ukraine. These inquiries, including phone calls, online requests, letters, and in-person visits, reflect the profound distress of families searching for missing relatives. As of the end of January, the organisation and its partners had successfully provided information to 8,000 families, offering some measure of resolution.
The Role of the ICRC as a Neutral Intermediary

The ICRC functions as a neutral intermediary in the conflict, facilitating the collection, centralisation, safeguarding, and transmission of information between Russia and Ukraine. This role is crucial in enabling the flow of vital details that can help ascertain the status of missing persons. The agency's CTA system, which has existed for over 150 years, provides the established framework for these complex tracing operations.
Families' Right to Know and Humane Treatment

Under international humanitarian law, families possess the fundamental right to know what has happened to their missing relatives. The ICRC advocates for and works to uphold this right, while also emphasising the obligation for parties to the conflict to treat detained individuals humanely and to handle the deceased with dignity. The ongoing efforts aim to alleviate the "excruciating" anguish experienced by tens of thousands of families living with uncertainty.

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What is the Red Cross doing about 23,000 missing in Ukraine war?

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