Notified by Phone: How State Authorities Violate the Rights of Soldiers’ Families
Issues in communication between the families of Ukrainian servicemen and state institutions—as well as ways to improve it—were the focus of a discussion during the presentation of a new analytical report by the Media Initiative for Human Rights (MIHR). The event took place on April 7, 2025, at Media Center Ukraine and brought together family members of servicemen, human rights defenders, representatives of the Commissioner for Missing Persons under Special Circumstances, and the Central Department of Civil-Military Cooperation of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
According to the report’s author, Olena Kopina, one of the most common issues families face when dealing with Territorial Centers for Recruitment and Social Support (TCRSS) and military units is the mishandling of notifications regarding missing servicemen. These errors lead to incorrect documentation and other procedural complications. Other concerns include delays in providing information, in launching official investigations into disappearances, and in issuing one-time compensation payments.
Kopina also emphasized that families are often notified about the death or disappearance of their loved ones in an untimely and unethical manner—sometimes even by phone. To improve communication, she suggests that at the mobilization stage, families should receive clear guidance, along with contact information for patronage and military-social support services. The goal is not to prepare families for loss, but to ensure they are informed and know what to do if the worst happens. Ideally, each family should be assigned a liaison officer. Crisis support should also be provided when notifying families of a loss, along with information on the importance of early psychological assistance.
“The first contact between a family and a military unit is crucial,” says Kopina. “The quality of that interaction shapes how the family copes and navigates the process ahead. Sometimes people receive tragic news while in shock and are then handed a pile of information they can’t even process. That said, there are also military units that build strong, supportive relationships with families and provide 24/7 help.”
Olena Kopina (center), report author and contributing expert
Yuliia Sharapaniuk, who leads an association of families of the missing and captured from the 115th Mechanized Brigade and the 225th Assault Battalion, has encountered problems specifically with civil-military cooperation (CIMIC) services. According to her, the CIMIC leadership is often indifferent to the needs of families of the deceased and missing.
“I had to personally initiate a criminal case concerning an orphaned soldier who was at risk of being buried as unidentified,” Sharapaniuk recalls. “Another time, I reached out to the CIMIC chief to help contact the family of a captured defender so we could send them a letter. I got no response. When it comes to financial matters, families are sometimes told things like ‘learn to save money’—that is simply unacceptable.”
Yuliia Sharapaniuk, coordinator of the families’ association of the 115th Brigade and 225th Battalion
“Often, it all depends on the individuals involved and the circumstances,” adds Dmytro Bohatiuk, a representative of the Secretariat of the Commissioner for Missing Persons under Special Circumstances.
He reminded the audience that the Ministry of Internal Affairs manages the Unified Register of Missing Persons. The Commissioner’s Office has representatives in 13 regions of Ukraine to facilitate communication with families, and a hotline—1698—is available for consultations.
Dmytro Bohatiuk, Secretariat of the Commissioner for Missing Persons
Olena Beliashkova, coordinator of MIHR’s support group for families of POWs and the missing, also believes that many of the communication failures stem from human factors. She stresses that hiring for patronage and family liaison roles should be based not only on professional qualifications but also emotional intelligence and empathy.
“Heavy workloads are no excuse for a lack of compassion toward someone who is grieving,” Beliashkova says. “Support services must relieve the burden on military units and shorten the time needed to process requests so families can timely exercise their rights.”
Oleh Neshchadnyi, a representative of the Central Department of Civil-Military Cooperation, reported that his office is working to establish social support services aimed at improving communication between families and military units. However, he asked for public understanding, given the scale of the Armed Forces of Ukraine:
“This initiative is still new. The Commander-in-Chief approved the creation of social support services only at the end of 2024. But we are gaining momentum.”
Oleh Neshchadnyi, Central Department of Civil-Military Cooperation
Read MIHR’s full analytical review for more details and recommendations on improving communication between military units and the families of missing or fallen defenders.
