Ukraine: DNA and Dignity for the Deceased

This is just the first step, obtaining a sample from human remains that have not been identified. The sample belongs to a person, temporarily deprived of their name.

“Then we work in a laboratory to get the DNA profile and then run calculations, examinations, comparisons,” Nataliia says. 

Eventually, Nataliia’s work results in the creation of a unique DNA profile for every unidentified person. “Then we can look for matches in our database of relatives,” she says. 

Across Ukraine, the work to identify the remains of soldiers or civilians who have lost their lives due to the armed conflict – to dignify them with a name – continues every day.

This task often starts close to the frontlines, where search-and-recovery teams face considerable risk retrieving the deceased. Ongoing hostilities, shifting frontlines and explosive hazards make this dangerous work.

The caseload of those that need to be identified also increases with each transfer of human remains organised directly between Russia and Ukraine. There have been more than 50 of these transfers since 2022.

At all times – in recovery or transfer; transit and storage – the remains of the deceased need to be treated respectfully, with dignity, in line with professional standards as well as international humanitarian law.

Eventually, human remains that have been recovered or received arrive at Ukraine’s forensic institutions – which work under great pressure – so that the process of identifying them can begin. 

“One can try to do anything on their own, but when it’s teamwork, when there is support, it means a lot and makes a big difference for society, not just for us,” says Ruslan Abbasov, Deputy Director of the SSRFC.

His work involves coordinating forensic teams and sites, between ministries and agencies, as well as working with humanitarian partners, like the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

“For us, it means more capacity, but families feel the result through the pain and grief of when the identity of their loved one is confirmed,” Ruslan says of the support received from humanitarian partners.