Europe Asia News

Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that at least 9,796 people have been forcibly disappeared since 2014 in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine.

The ministry stated that the actual number could be higher. It said that Russia conceals information about missing persons and that many cases have not been identified and documented.

The statement noted that the fate and whereabouts of those subjected to enforced disappearance remain unknown, leaving thousands of families waiting for news of their loved ones.

Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained that enforced disappearance refers to a person being deprived of liberty by a state official, or with the authorization, support or acquiescence of the state, followed by a refusal to acknowledge the detention or to provide information about the person's fate or whereabouts.

It was noted that this practice places people outside the protection of the law and leaves their families in uncertainty for months or years.

On the occasion of the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, the ministry drew attention to the scale of enforced disappearances, stressing that every case should be investigated and missing persons should be found.

The statement also called on the international community to continue its efforts to ensure that Russia is held accountable for enforced disappearances and other crimes reportedly committed during the war.