More than 90 thousand Ukrainians are considered missing under special circumstances, this is the official response of the Commissioner for Persons Missing under Special Circumstances to the UP publication. How does the state search work, why such numbers, new DNA and tattoo recognition services, identification takes months, and how to recognize scammers who try to extort money from relatives of missing people every day
More than 90 thousand Ukrainians are considered missing under special circumstances, this is the official response of the Commissioner for Persons Missing under Special Circumstances to the UP publication . How does the state search work, why such numbers, new DNA services and identification by tattoos, identification takes months and how to recognize scammers who try to lure money from relatives of missing people every day – analytics as of 2026 from the editorial office of “Ukrainian Information”
Why is this topic painful, and why now?
Every day, thousands of Ukrainian families live in uncertainty. As of February 2026, the Unified Register of Persons Missing in Special Circumstances contains over 90,000 records . These are military personnel, civilians, and even children. The figure is shocking, but behind each such “person” there is a real person, whose relatives always hope to the last that he or she is alive and the whole family is waiting for at least some news.
The pain is also exacerbated by the fact that there is always very little information, and sometimes nothing is known at all except for the family’s notification of the fact of the missing person’s disappearance under special circumstances (this is what the circumstances of war and other military actions in the region are called by law). Against this background of 0-th information, all kinds of scammers have been profiting from the first days , contacting from nowhere and claiming that they know important and valuable information and are ready to share it for money, and sometimes even that they can “influence” the inclusion in the exchange lists. They pose as “negotiators”, “volunteers” or “exchange representatives”, send fake videos with AI (generated from the photo of the missing person, videos that are almost indistinguishable from the real ones due to low quality or other tricks of the scammers) and demand money, if they receive a tranche, they demand more, or simply disappear.
In 2025, the police recorded more than 300 official statements from families who fell victim to such schemes. The Commissioner for Persons Missing in Special Circumstances, Artur Dobroserdov, openly says that this is a big problem, and the amounts sometimes reach hundreds of thousands of hryvnias or even dollars.
So as they say to the families of the missing: “The state is searching, and you wait.” But families need help here and now, so maximum caution is often lacking. In this article, we draw your attention to how to act correctly, where to check information, and how to protect yourself from deception.
How many missing people are there in Ukraine as of 2026?
The official figure as of February 23, 2026 is over 90 thousand people , but these are not all military personnel. These are the data of Commissioner Artur Dobroserdov, which were confirmed in response to a journalist’s request. The majority believes that this number includes not only military personnel of the Defense Forces, but also civilians, including children.
For comparison:
- June 2025 — over 70 thousand
- 2023 — about 23 thousand
Please note that the actual number may be higher, as access to the occupied territories is limited. The search is ongoing, and the number changes daily based on new reports from relatives to the police.
Official bodies and institutions involved in the search
The search is divided between several structures. Here are the key ones with contacts:
- National Police — first instance for reporting (102)
- Commissioner for Missing Persons (Artur Dobroserdov) — coordination, registry
- Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War — koordshtab.gov.ua (for the military)
- International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) – data exchange
- National Information Bureau
Hotlines (Mon–Fri, 9:00–18:00):
- 1698 — direct line of the Commissioner
- 1536 — single line of the Ministry of Internal Affairs
- 0 800 300 529 — Coordination Headquarters
The Unified Register of Persons Missing in Special Circumstances — How Does It Work and Why Isn’t It Always Possible to Help?
The main tool is the Unified Register of Missing Persons on the platform https://znykli-bezvisti.mvs.gov.ua/ . All official data since 2014 (mainly after 2022) is collected here.
Who enters the data : police, investigators, Commissioner. Relatives do not enter the data themselves – only through a statement.
How to get an extract :
- Register on the portal “Single Window for Citizens”
- Submit an online request
- Get an extract in 2 days (digitization 2025–2026)
The extract is needed for further actions: DNA, pension, status, etc. The platform already processes over 1,100 requests per week. However, you will receive information if there are any matches, based on DNA, transferred lists of prisoners, information in criminal cases, or other data sources where clues have become known, if there are none – families simply wait in information silence.
How to file a missing person report: a step-by-step guide for families
To have a real chance of receiving information about a match based on a relative’s data, you must first transfer it to a special registry for comparison; if you don’t do this, the chances are even smaller.
- Contact the nearest police station with your passport and documents confirming family ties.
- Get an extract from the Unified Register of Pre-Trial Investigations (URDR).
- Submit DNA samples (blood or buccal epithelium) — the state pays.
- Fill out the questionnaire with your characteristics, photos, tattoos, and last location.
- Register with the Coordination Headquarters (if military) — cabinet.koordshtab.gov.ua .
- Submit a request for an extract from the Register of Missing Persons.
The hotline 1698 will help at any stage.
Modern search and identification methods in 2026
Why is hope not in vain, even if there is little or no information? First, Ukraine already uses the most modern technologies, namely:
- DNA testing is the main method. Over 150,000 profiles are already in the registry.
- Tattoo recognition is a new service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (launched on March 9, 2026). Sketches of tattoos from unidentified bodies are published at https://services.mvs.gov.ua/rmpc/services/tattoo-search . Filters by style, location, description. If you recognize them, write and let us know .
- Search through open sources + ICRC data.
- Body exchange – repatriation and identification.
Secondly, all methods work in pairs and in parallel, you have a chance to get information not immediately, but over time, as soon as a large data set is processed and compared. Which creates a delayed result, but with high accuracy.
How long does identification take and why does it take so long?
The Commissioner for the State Security Service for the OO explains the deadlines and adds the reasons that delay the following recognition cases:
- The average time for DNA samples to be obtained from relatives is about 1 month .
- Body remains or personal belongings take much longer. Severe damage (temperature exposure, fragments) requires lengthy analyses and gradual stages.
Reasons that additionally affect delays:
- Scale: Repatriating hundreds of bodies at a time.
- Insufficient number of specialized precision laboratories and relevant experts
- In some cases, it is necessary to check with at least two methods (to avoid errors).
The state is constantly expanding the capabilities of laboratory research, but the workload still remains enormous.
Fraud against families of missing persons: the scale of the problem
Over 300 official reports to the police in 2025 — Artur Dobroserdov said in an interview with Ukrinform (March 2026). And these are not just numbers, they are officially recorded. The question is how many cases there are still unregistered, when relatives are asked not to tell anyone about the “payment”, because it will allegedly negatively affect the future exchange (their family member will be removed from the exchange lists, or even worse, they may be maimed or killed).
Fraudsters work cynically: they use the grief of families and technology. Relatives who are in search of the slightest information, independently write sensitive information on the Internet and publish data on all sorts of unofficial sites (including from the Russian Federation), forums, Facebook and Telegram channels to search for information about people who are missing, in captivity or buried in the TOT. Most often, from what is publicly available, these are Russian Telegram channels and sites, since there are almost no such Ukrainian sources, or they are blocked for distributing sensitive and personal information.
Typical schemes to defraud family members of missing persons
Fake “negotiators” .
They write on ads from websites or Facebook pages where relatives posted information “I know the location, I can organize a call for 5–10 thousand UAH”. Of course, it sounds suspicious, but when this is the only option, many will agree immediately. It happens that relatives ask for evidence, then scammers send an artificial intelligence-generated image or video of their relative in a room that looks like a camera. After paying by card or, more often, a crypto wallet, the scammers disappear.
Pseudonym: volunteers/journalists/lawyers .
They place ads themselves, or write to relatives directly on the same ads and promise to “speed up the exchange” or “return the body” for money. The amounts are quite different, but they usually try to squeeze the maximum out of it, having previously asked how much the family can give. Payment to a crypto wallet, or to a “drop” individual (front person) for money laundering, often located somewhere abroad.
Fake exchange lists .
Relatives are sent a photo/video with a supposedly exchange list (often generated by AI on behalf of the state of Ukraine, or by a negotiating group from Ukraine) with the message that there is 1 place, you can buy it for the negotiated amount. Payment is made in advance, after which the dialogue is deleted as soon as the funds are transferred.
“Representatives of the Russian Federation” .
They often act allegedly on behalf of Russian special services, as if a special representative of the FSB, SVR, etc. is calling or writing to you and allegedly has the opportunity to provide information about the missing person or include them on a list for exchange or to make a “ransom” for large sums.
Russian Telegram channels . They massively send fake SMS messages “free from captivity for $1,000 – $5,000 or more for everything, you have 24 hours, here is a card or crypto wallet.
Read also: Top 5 fraudulent schemes in Telegram: how not to lose money
Amounts: from several thousand hryvnias to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Real examples of payments are also often recorded by the police.
Real confirmed fraud cases for the period 2025–2026
The police do not always disclose all the details due to the investigation, but the following schemes are known:
- Relatives receive a message “from the negotiator” and transfer 2–5 thousand UAH for a “telephone conversation” (there have already been cases in Zaporizhia).
- Pseudo-lawyers demand tens of thousands of dollars “for organizing the exchange.” Most of them are not real, do not have certificates, and are often located abroad.
- Fraudsters use fake accounts on social media and lure or demand card details to supposedly register the relative’s information in the database and take a “deposit” that the relative will not reveal the secret special agent to others.
According to various sources and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the amounts in some cases reach tens of thousands of dollars, which people in despair and without hope transferred to scammers in cryptocurrency.
How to spot a scammer: a red list of signs (recommendations for relatives of missing persons who have lost hope)
Never publish sensitive personal information, personal photos, education, etc. By providing full details such as name, date of birth, scammers can easily manipulate the facts and adjust the information as if they themselves know everything about your relative because he told them.
Also, NEVER transfer money (official exchanges are conducted according to pre-approved lists – in which it is not possible to buy a place or cross someone out to put your relative).
If you are contacted by a pseudo-representative, lawyer, or public figure asking for money, it is most likely a scam, especially if the scheme boils down to:
- The person wrote first in messenger or social networks after your post about the missing person.
- Promises to “speed up” the process for money.
- Asks for personal data, photos of documents or passwords, including an SMS code to the number, etc.
- Sends “captive video” without official confirmation, in poor quality, with an impossible format to recognize, or similar to AI.
- He writes from Russian numbers or anonymous accounts on Telegram, Facebook, or Viber.
- Demands payment in cryptocurrency either through dubious services or to unknown individuals.
Official channels never ask for money for information, do not sell a place on the list for exchange, and do not request password and bank card information.
What to do and where to go if you suspect fraud
- Cyberpolice — ticket.cyberpolice.gov.ua
- Police — 102
- Ministry of Internal Affairs hotline — 1536
- Commissioner – 1698
Save all correspondence – this is evidence for the case and to bring scammers to justice so that other innocent victims do not suffer.
Tips for families: how to safely search for information about a missing person?
- Use only official websites and hotlines.
- Do not publish details and personal data on social networks, questionable websites, or group forums.
- Check accounts through official channels of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
- Do not give personal information to strangers and do not transfer funds.
- If in doubt, call 1698.
- Register in the personal account of the Coordination Headquarters – all transparent and verified information on the missing person is there.
Conclusion: the state is looking, but it is not a quick process and your caution comes first.
Ukraine is doing everything possible, but the registry does not help everywhere, DNA is not always available, and the new tattoo service has only just started working, so the results will not be immediately available. There is long-term cooperation with the ICRC and other organizations, but the other side (Russia) does not always provide data in good faith or refuses to communicate on some issues at all.
The main rule for missing persons is: Don’t pay for unconfirmed hope, only get information from official sources.
Support families, spread the word through official channels, and be vigilant. Together we are stronger.
Save this article. If you are currently looking for a loved one, you are not alone. The state is working, but the process is quiet so as not to harm the interests of those for whom everything is being done. Be careful and hold on.
