Ihor Klymenko on the creation of support centers for families of prisoners of war and missing persons: “the main thing is to be in constant contact with families”

War takes away from people not only their home and peace, but also their loved ones. Sometimes forever, and sometimes just for a long period of obscurity, which, according to the relatives of the missing, is worse than death. The families of prisoners of war and missing Ukrainian defenders find themselves in a situation of complete isolation: without information, clear contact with the state, and the opportunity to receive professional legal, psychological or organizational assistance. In many cases, it is the systemic lack of communication and support from the state that becomes the most painful challenge for these families. In the absence of contact with a son, brother, husband or father, every day turns into an endless wait for an answer from an unknown number, an email from headquarters, or at least a mention in the news.

That is why the decision to create new regional support centers – even as a temporary step – is not a technical, but a deeply human and political act. The Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, Ihor Klymenko, announced the opening of support centers for families of prisoners of war and missing persons in Lviv, Mykolaiv, Vinnytsia and Kharkiv. This decision was a response to the termination of the regional consultation centers of the Coordinating Headquarters on the treatment of prisoners of war.

Ihor Klymenko explained the logic of such a step. According to him, the new centers are created precisely for the transition period – until the Coordinating Headquarters representatives are formed in these regions or the existing consultation centers resume their work. The minister emphasized that the formation of regional working groups, provided for by Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 257, is still ongoing, and this process requires time. However, according to Klymenko, it is unacceptable to leave families without contact with state structures during this period.

“The creation and functioning of representative offices or regional working groups of the Coordination Headquarters is provided for in Resolution No. 257 of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. They must work in each region. While the process of creating these groups continues, it is important not to interrupt communication with relatives of prisoners of war, missing persons. That is why there was a quick reaction – to create such support centers in Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, Vinnytsia and Lviv as a temporary solution.” Klymenko noted.

Klymenko separately emphasized that it is not a problem for the ministry to provide these centers with competent specialists – the main thing is that the connection between the state and the families of prisoners of war is not interrupted.

“The main thing is to be in constant contact with families,” – emphasized the minister.

In the new centers, as the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs explained, the same structures that previously worked within the consultation centers will be involved in the work. These are regional representatives of the Commissioner for Persons Disappeared Under Special Circumstances, specialists of the Secretariat of the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights, investigators of the National Police, employees of the Security Service of Ukraine, lawyers.

Representatives of the military units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard, the State Border Service, the State Emergency Service, i.e., the units in which the missing or captured serviceman served, will necessarily join the work of the centers. This is to provide families with as much concrete, verified information as possible about the circumstances of the disappearance, the place of service and the next steps.

Klymenko assured that all structures that provided assistance earlier will continue their work within the newly created support centers. The main task is to prevent a breakdown in communication between families and state authorities, even during the transition period.

“We are interested in one thing – to maintain direct contact with the families of prisoners of war and the missing.” – emphasized the minister.