A Humanitarian Channel for People: Ukraine Continues to Bring Civilians Home and Search for the Missing

June 29, 2026.

    Ukraine continues to use every possible humanitarian mechanism to return its citizens, establish the fate of missing persons, and protect the rights of people affected by Russia’s aggression.
    On June 27, Ukraine handed over to the Russian side lists of persons considered missing in order to launch a verification procedure. This was reported by the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets.
    This step is significant from a human rights perspective. For the families of missing persons, every confirmation, every verified piece of information, and every official request is part of the struggle for truth. Establishing the fate of those who disappeared as a result of the war is not only a humanitarian issue, but also a duty of the state toward its citizens.
    For the first time, despite the absence of diplomatic relations between Ukraine and Russia, the sides also exchanged legal documents. These include documents confirming employment records and other certificates needed by citizens on the territories of both states.
    It is also important that on the same day, seven Ukrainian civilians who had been illegally held in Russian captivity for years were brought home. According to the Ombudsman, they are between 35 and 66 years old. They were detained or abducted during the occupation of Mariupol and parts of Kyiv, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Luhansk regions.
    Among those released are civilians whom Russian occupying forces took from their homes, on their way to work, or because members of their families served in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. These cases are further evidence of Russia’s systematic practice of unlawful detention, intimidation of the civilian population, and gross violations of international humanitarian law.
    The return of the civilians was the result of direct humanitarian work by the Ukrainian Ombudsman with the Russian side, as well as coordinated efforts by the Security Service of Ukraine, the Foreign Intelligence Service, the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, and other state bodies.
    At the same time, such humanitarian contacts do not mean political normalization of relations with the aggressor state. For Ukraine, they are primarily a tool to save people, protect citizens’ rights, and document crimes committed by Russia.
    The issues of missing persons, unlawfully detained civilians, prisoners of war, and deported Ukrainians must remain at the center of the international agenda. No future peace process can be complete without the return of people, the establishment of truth, and accountability for those responsible.
    Ukraine once again demonstrates that even in wartime, the state continues to fight for every citizen. The protection of human dignity, liberty, security, and justice remains an integral part of Ukrainian resistance.