The bodies of two Ukrainian soldiers, Pvt. Serhiy Matsiuk and Pvt. Andriy Zaretsky, have been lying in a field for months in the Zaporizhzhia region in Ukraine. Despite their families identifying them from drone footage, the Ukrainian military still lists them as missing. The high number of missing soldiers, estimated at half of the 31,000 dead soldiers by President Volodymyr Zelensky, is a result of the two-year-old war and the nature of trench fighting. The missing soldiers add pressure on Ukrainian society and the military leadership.
The process of confirming deaths for missing soldiers is difficult and time-consuming in Ukraine. The government does not have a central genetic database for identifying bodies, leading to families taking matters into their own hands by visiting morgues to try and identify the bodies themselves. The government’s testing process can take several months, causing frustration among families and mounting financial burdens on the government for continuing payments to families of missing soldiers.
Poor communication from military commanders also adds to the anguish of families seeking closure for their missing loved ones. Families often have to go to court with evidence of a death to get official confirmation, further delaying the process. The military’s insistence on lengthy investigations of suspected deaths contributes to families living with uncertainty for extended periods of time. With the financial burden of continuing payments to families, the government is facing potentially hundreds of millions in costs.
The situation in Ukraine with missing soldiers has historical parallels to the world wars of the 20th century, where identifying soldiers missing in action continues for years. Families are becoming more desperate for answers as the war in Ukraine drags on. The story of Private Zaretsky and Private Matsiuk, discovered by their friend Mykola, who survived, highlights the difficulty of confirmations and the importance of closure for families.
The emotional toll on families, the financial burden on the government, and the continuing uncertainty for missing soldiers in Ukraine is a heart-wrenching consequence of the ongoing war. The situation highlights the challenges faced by families seeking closure and the complexities of confirming deaths for missing soldiers. As the war continues, families are becoming more desperate for answers, with some turning to unconventional methods for hope and closure. The stories of the missing soldiers underscore the toll of the conflict on Ukrainian society and the need for greater support and accountability for those who have sacrificed their lives in the war.
