“DNA samples to identify missing relatives will be possible in six EU countries and Turkey,” - Leonid Tymchenko
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine announced the collection of DNA samples of Ukrainians who are now forcibly abroad. We are talking about collecting DNA profiles to identify the bodies of people who may have died as a result of Russian aggression.
Thus, until January 15, citizens who are abroad have the opportunity to register for the delivery of DNA samples in order to search and identify relatives who are missing. You need to fill out an application, send it to the email address [email protected] and decide on the place of collection of DNA samples.
This was reported by the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Leonid Tymchenko on the air of “United News”.
“Currently, in six countries of the European Union, in the departments of the State Migration Service “Document” of the State Migration Service of Ukraine, opportunities are created for delivery of buccal epithelium samples. In the future, these DNA profiles will be transferred to the authorized bodies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs system,” the Deputy Minister informed.
Samples were selected in the autumn of last year on the territory of Poland and Germany, but depending on the number of applications submitted and on the territoriality, the Ministry of Internal Affairs will provide an opportunity to take such samples in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Italy or Spain, as well as in Turkey.
“In the process of identifying bodies, experts are also assisted by our international partners. This is the International Commission on Missing Persons, which is located in the Netherlands, - Leonid Tymchenko added. - We cooperated with them throughout 2023, and during this period we selected samples from more than 400 Ukrainian citizens abroad. With the help of such cooperation, about ninety matches were established.”
As noted by the Deputy Minister, at present 17 thousand people are in the Unified Register of Missing Persons, which is administered by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Accordingly, 17 thousand extracts from the specified register were issued.
Leonid Tymchenko also informed about the work of the Secretariat of the Commissioner for Missing Persons under Special Circumstances, which in the early autumn of 2023 began to function at the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
“In accordance with the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine in September 2023, functions were transferred from the Ministry of Reintegration to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. During this period, a call center was created, it was possible to submit an appeal through the website, create a questionnaire, fill it out in order to have a single analytical platform and it was possible to process all questionnaires from citizens who are looking for their relatives who are missing under special circumstances,” the Deputy Minister said.
In addition, representatives of the Secretariat of the Commissioner currently work in 13 regions of Ukraine.
“If you are registered in the territory of Luhansk region, you can contact the territorial office of the Commissioner, which is located in Donetsk region or in other regions of Ukraine. One regional office can serve multiple areas. Thus, today practically all of Ukraine is provided with the presence of representatives of the Commissioner for Missing Persons under special circumstances,” Leonid Tymchenko stressed.
Department of Communications of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine
