An information system with data on prisoners of war and civilians in Russian captivity will appear in the Coordinating Staff

From now on, the coordination headquarters for the treatment of prisoners of war will deal with civilians who were deprived of their personal freedom due to the Russian Federationʼs war against Ukraine.

Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets reported that the government has made changes to the relevant resolution of the CMU (No. 257 of March 11, 2022).

The update of the resolution also provides for the introduction of the information system of the Coordinating Staff, which should simplify the work for the return of servicemen from captivity and civilians from captivity. Include the following data in the system:

• about servicemen held captive by Russia;
• civilians deprived of personal freedom due to the armed aggression of the Russian Federation;
• missing persons due to hostilities, temporary occupation of part of the territory of Ukraine.

This is intended to normalize the functioning of the Coordination Staff and electronic interaction between the interested authorities.

The coordination headquarters also receives the authority to repatriate the bodies or remains of defenders.

The resolution also specified the composition of the Coordination Headquarters. Representatives of the State Government, the Secretariat of the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights, the Secretariat of the Commissioner for Missing Persons in Special Circumstances, and the Ministry of Veterans Affairs will supplement it.

In the period between meetings of the Coordinating Staff, the Presidium of the Coordinating Staff will operate.

• As of December 2023, Ukraine had official confirmation that Russia captured 28,000 Ukrainian civilians and deported 19,540 Ukrainian children.