Today, most Ukrainian families have military personnel fighting for independence and the integrity of our borders. Sometimes the connection with them can deteriorate or be lost altogether. Concerned relatives in such situations start to sound the alarm and look for any information about the missing person on the Internet. Unfortunately, this can happen to anyone, so it's worth knowing about the first actions in case of such a situation and the safety rules. More on this in the article.

Why might the military lose touch?

First of all, it is worth understanding that in the field, your loved one may simply not have the opportunity to charge his mobile phone. If less than 48 hours have passed since your last conversation, try to wait. Perhaps, during this period of time you will receive a long-awaited call.

Another scenario is being taken prisoner by the enemy. In this case, you need to understand how to act correctly. You will definitely learn about this later.

There is a high probability that your relative may be in the hospital. Family members will most likely hear about this from the medics or the defender himself after he recovers from his injuries.

The most terrible reason for the disappearance of communication channels with a soldier is his death. Before taking this option, it is worth checking all of the above. Panic is the worst thing you can do for your mental state and physical health. As long as the situation remains unresolved, you need to remain internally calm and follow a certain algorithm of actions.

What to do?

First of all, you should seek help from official government agencies:

Name of the organization/institution: The United Center for the Search and Release of Prisoners under the Security Service of Ukraine

Contact numbers: +38 067 650 83 32; +38 098 087 36 01

Email: united.centre.ssu@gmail.com

Working hours: 24/7

Name of the organization/institution: National Information Bureau

Contact numbers: 1648 (hotline); +38 044 287 81 65

Email: nib.uncp.info@gmail.com

Working hours: 24/7

Name of the organization/institution: The Coordinating Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War

Contact numbers: +38 044 428-62-74

Email: contact@gur.gov.ua

Working hours: Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m

Name of the organization/institution: Telephone hotline of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine

Contact numbers: +38 089 420 18 66; 0 800 339 247

Email: -

Working hours: 24/7

Name of the organization/institution: Commissioner for Issues of Persons Missing under Special Circumstances

Contact numbers: 095 896 0421 (on weekends through Viber and Telegram)

Email: war2022people@gmail.com

Working hours:

Working hours: Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m

The above-mentioned institutions will check the information about whether a person close to you is in captivity, says the Main Directorate of Intelligence.

An official response can also be obtained from the International Committee of the Red Cross by phone: 0 800 300 155 or by e-mail: ctabureau@icrc.org. Also, don't forget to contact your local police department.

Don't look for lists of prisoners of war on the Internet. The Ministry of Reintegration says that such documents are not knowingly distributed by the authorities for reasons of security of the military themselves. Do not trust the lists that are distributed on social networks. Wait for a call from the missing person or the Security Service of Ukraine.

How not to prevent a soldier from returning home?

Try to get in touch with fellow soldiers of the missing person before contacting the appropriate organizations. Try to collect as much information as possible from them and do not forget to write it down (you may forget important details due to stress). Check the enemy media from time to time for the publication of photos of prisoners. You may be able to recognize your relative in the photos and speed up the process of finding him. If the information about the capture is confirmed, it is not worth publishing any information about it online, because this could draw the enemy's attention and worsen not only the arrangements for his return, but also the conditions of his stay in the territory controlled by the Russian invaders.

There are cases when fraudsters call relatives of Ukrainian defenders and demand a reward for his safety and integrity. In this case it is necessary to report the conversation to local law enforcement officers. They will check the reliability of the information.

Another important rule is not to discuss the location of the military unit where the missing person was and his rank on the Internet or over the phone. Especially in the temporarily occupied territories there is a huge risk of eavesdropping. The enemy may overestimate the value of the prisoner and refuse to give him up with others. Soldiers often present themselves as field cooks, drivers and medics in order to avoid torture and get home.

The most important thing is not to panic. Stay in touch with the intelligence services and do your best to search for valuable information online. Perhaps the long-awaited call will be received soon.