Ukraine, US boost collaboration to identify war victims and hold Russia accountable for its crimes

Ukraine and the US Embassy have agreed to strengthen cooperation in conducting DNA analyses and identifying unidentified bodies to hold Russia accountable, Ukraine’s Ministry of Internal Affairs has reported.

Reports say Ukrainian military casualties are approximately 70,000 killed and between 100,000 to 120,000 wounded since the start of the all-out war in February 2022. The human toll extends beyond military losses; civilian casualties have also been severe. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights says over 11,520 civilians have been killed, since the onset of the war.

Ukrainian Deputy Minister Leonid Tymchenko has noted that Ukraine’s Missing Persons Registry currently contains data on over 53,000 citizens, with more than 2,300 unidentified bodies located within the country. Ukraine is collaborating with international partners to collect biological samples, especially from people forced to leave the country, to help identify remains.

Tymchenko emphasized that this information will be needed not only during the war but also afterward, as some bodies remain in combat zones and cannot yet be retrieved. Additionally, these DNA profiles will aid in solving criminal cases and bolstering civilian security post-war. He also noted a pressing need for additional equipment to store bodies and expand DNA profiling capabilities.

At a meeting with Tymchenko, Diane Kon, Deputy Head of the US Embassy’s Law Enforcement Section, highlighted the importance of cooperation in DNA analysis, underscoring that it contributes to exposing war crimes and ensuring Russia faces legal consequences. She reaffirmed US support for providing Ukraine with the necessary equipment and resources.

Since 2022, Ukraine’s National Genetic Database has grown from 25,000 to nearly 70,000 DNA profiles. The Ministry of Internal Affairs now operates 24 DNA laboratories, 13 of which can analyze unidentified remains and living individuals. Ruslan Abbasov, deputy director of the State Research Forensic Center, said the ministry plans to open five more full-service labs. All of them will require additional equipment and reagents.

On 9 November, the Commissioner for Missing Persons, Artur Dobroserdov, informed US partners about Ukraine’s Missing Persons Registry and ongoing collaboration with law enforcement to identify the dead and locate missing individuals. He noted that, due to the war, many obstacles hinder identification and searches, but swift, efficient action is essential. Its work reveals evidence of Russia’s violent treatment of Ukrainian prisoners, leading to fatalities.

Dobroserdov stressed the need for security and defense forces to have systems for collecting and storing human biological samples, crucial for effective search operations.

Meanwhile, Artem Shevchyshen, Ukrainian Deputy Head of the National Police’s Main Investigation Department, called DNA analysis the “last hope for families” seeking missing loved ones. Currently, there are over 92,000 DNA analyses potentially linked to missing persons cases, with this data also aiding in the investigation of other violence-related crimes.

Shevchyshen added that law enforcement now has a unique opportunity to gather evidence of Russian war crimes, as Russian troops left fingerprints and biological traces in torture facilities on Ukrainian soil.

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