Ukraine unveils “I Want To Find” search center for relatives of Russian soldiers

Ukraine launched a state project called the Unified Center for Finding Russian Servicemen, "I Want to Find." 

Through this initiative, citizens of Russia can find information about their relatives who went missing, died, or ended up in captivity in Ukraine, Rubryka reports, referring to RBC-Ukraine.

What's the problem?

Ukrainian authorities reported in late November that since August 2023, Russia had suspended exchanges of prisoners of war, attempting to influence Ukrainian society and create an impression that Ukraine is not working to return Ukrainian soldiers and civilians home.

Ukrainian Defense Intelligence spokesperson Andrii Yusov stated that, during the full-scale invasion, Russia didn't communicate with the families of its occupying servicemen, didn't provide information about the fate of these servicemen, including those who went missing, were captured, or died.

"There was a situation where relatives were turning to 'I Want to Live' [hotline for Russian soldiers who want to surrender]. Ukraine handed over bodies to Russia, but the relatives received no information," said the officer.

What's the solution?

"Various tools are being used, and 'I Want to Live' has been operational since September. The goal is to help Russians who found themselves in the ranks of the aggressor state's army, those who don't want to get their hands dirty with blood and want to be under Ukraine's protection," Yusov said during the launch event.

In turn, the project "I Want to Find" will work with citizens of the aggressor country, primarily with the families and relatives of Russian servicemen who went missing, died, or ended up in captivity in Ukraine.

How does it work?

By reaching out to the project, they can obtain information on whether a specific Russian soldier is in Ukraine as a prisoner of war or deceased and if their body or remains have been found and identified.

The intelligence spokesperson mentioned the need to scale this effort, especially to activate society within Russia itself. "If Russia does not fulfill its obligations regarding its citizens, Ukraine is ready to provide information about Russian servicemen. We are initiating the 'I Want to Find' project, where Russians can seek information that the aggressor state is hiding from them," Yusov added.

One can contact "I Want to Find" through the Telegram chatbot.

Vitalii Matvienko, the spokesperson for the state project "I Want to Live," announced at the event that they had received 30,000 requests for the "I Want to Live" project so far.

He mentioned that there have been over 300 successful operations of voluntary surrender to captivity, with over 100 more hot operations in the final stages.

"People reach out to us, the relatives of Russians, seeking information on their whereabouts. Russia does not provide information to its citizens about its military. Hundreds contact us every day. The decision was made to launch 'I Want to Find,'" said Matvienko.

In addition to the bot, Russians will be able to visit the project's website using a VPN. Since the launch, they expect several thousand inquiries from Russians.

Iryna Krynina, co-founder of the public movement for the search and return home of Russian army soldiers "Nash Vykhod," said that there were currently two problems: one is related to the Ukrainian side, as relatives cannot get information about servicemen, and Russia does not cooperate.

"A similar situation is in Russia itself; it does not provide information to Russians, neither about the missing nor others. We will collect requests, and if there is a response that a relative is in captivity, we can organize a video call to confirm and give Russians the opportunity to demand information from the aggressor state, saying, 'Here is my Vasya in captivity,'" said Krynina.

The Ukrainian Defense Intelligence launched the "I Want to Live" hotline in September 2022 — just three days before the partial mobilization announced by Russian dictator Putin. Many people who wanted to surrender to captivity began contacting the hotline during this period.

The project's website has already been visited over 48 million times, including 46 million times from the territory of the aggressor country. The site was blocked in Russia a few days after its launch but remains accessible through VPN services.

In the related news, the Russian authorities illegally deport civilians from Ukraine to Russia, holding them in correctional colonies and investigative isolators. They refuse to press charges, conduct investigations, provide access to lawyers, or specify release dates.