As part of repatriation efforts, more than 26,000 bodies and remains of fallen defenders have been returned to Ukraine. At the same time, a significant number of them still remain unidentified, leaving families living in uncertainty for months and years.
This was reported by the head of the President’s Office, Kyrylo Budanov.
According to him, this issue is the responsibility of the state. At a meeting of the Coordination Council on protecting the rights of war veterans and their family members, the families of fallen Defenders of Ukraine, as well as on prisoners of war and missing persons, decisions were discussed to speed up the identification of fallen defenders.
Budanov said that bureaucratic delays and breaches of regulations in the forensic medical examination system are unacceptable.
Following the meeting, an action algorithm was drawn up. Plans include creating an interagency group to consider problematic issues related to identifying the dead, as well as reviewing the work of forensic medical examination bureaus, especially in the regions.
In addition, there are plans to bring in additional international capacity to carry out DNA testing. The necessary regulatory and legal decisions are to be adopted by the government in the near future.
"Families must receive information about the fate of their loved ones as soon as possible. Every fallen Hero will be found and honoured with dignity", Budanov said.