Interior Ministry reveals how many bodies of Ukrainians remain unidentified

Deputy Head of the National Police of Ukraine - Head of the Main Investigation Department Maxim Tsutskiridze said in a live broadcast of the marathon "Suspіlne. contra":

Within the framework of criminal proceedings, our criminalists together with the experts of SNIECC have identified about 3 thousand murdered Ukrainians. 2800 more bodies remain unidentified and unidentified so far due to the lack of comparative DNA material.

According to the deputy head of the National Police, the so-called DNA database is also being formed: now nearly 16 thousand relatives of the deceased or missing have given DNA. At the same time, profiles are taken when the bodies of our defenders are returned. This information is stored in the expert institutions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs system.

At the moment the National Police has eight mobile laboratories. But we plan to provide every region with such equipment, which will significantly improve the efficiency of criminal investigators. So we are in negotiations with the US Embassy about purchasing them", stressed Maxim Tsutskiridze.

According to Maxim Tsutskiridze, the work of forensic specialists in identifying bodies is considerably speeded up with the help of modern mobile DNA labs:

Mobile laboratories, which we have received thanks to international partners, make it possible to take DNA from the dead and their relatives quickly. Such laboratories were used to identify bodies after rocket attacks on a shopping centre in Kremenchug, in the centre of Vinnitsa, and during a helicopter crash near Kiev.

Two mobile DNA labs are usually operating at the scene, one taking DNA from the deceased and the other from their blood relatives. The material is then compared in a matter of minutes and, if it is a match, the identity of the person is established.