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Families of Over 100,000 Missing Russian Soldiers Appealed to Ukraine for Answers
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![Amira_barkhush]( "Photo of Amira Barkhush")
More than 100,000 Russian families have reached out to a Ukrainian-run initiative “I Want to Find” seeking information about missing Russian soldiers, Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War reported on June 12.
The statement stated that this figure is significantly lower than the actual number of Russian troops missing in action.
“Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Russian authorities have consistently ignored the scale of military losses and the growing number of missing servicemen,” the press release stated.
“As a result, many Russian families are left to search for their loved ones on their own, often turning to the Ukrainian initiative ‘I Want to Find.’”
The initiative noted that in May 2025 alone, the project received a record 12,320 inquiries—the highest monthly number to date.
Using information provided through the Ukrainian initiative “I Want to Find,” families of Russian soldiers are able to confirm whether their relatives are prisoners of war or deceased, and can pressure Russian authorities to conduct prisoner exchanges.
Since the project launched in January 2024, the status of 2,415 Russian soldiers held in Ukrainian captivity has been confirmed. Of these, 1,126 have already been exchanged for Ukrainian defenders.
The actual number of Russian POWs in Ukraine is significantly higher, but many relatives are unaware of the project and have not submitted search requests.
An analysis of submissions to the initiative shows a sharp increase in missing personnel across most Russian military units. The 15th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade (military unit 90600) has the highest number of missing soldiers—2,277. Of the top 20 units with the most missing servicemen, 17 are motor rifle brigades, often used by the Russian command in so-called “meat grinder” assaults.
Among combat zones, Donetsk’s Pokrovsk direction has the highest number of reported missing Russian troops, with 16,510 inquiries—up 68% since the beginning of the year. Bakhmut direction ranks second, with 8,801 submissions.
Notably, 26% of all requests relate to soldiers under the age of 30. The youngest missing serviceman is just 18, while the oldest is 67.
The project also highlights a growing disillusionment with the war among relatives of the dead and missing. According to its data, 75% of those who contacted “I Want to Find” say they do not support Moscow’s war of aggression.
On June 11, Ukraine has recovered the bodies of 1,212 fallen defenders, including those who fought in the east and south of Ukraine, as well as in Russia’s Kursk region.
