If you have lost contact with a Ukrainian civilian or fear that the person has been detained, use several official channels in parallel: report the case to Ukraine’s National Information Bureau (NIB), file a missing-person report with the National Police, preserve evidence for the assigned investigator, and open a separate tracing request with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). No single hotline, public database or online search can confirm every case.
The NIB provides a Ukrainian reporting route, the police conduct a formal search and investigation, and the ICRC’s Central Tracing Agency (CTA) Bureau performs humanitarian tracing across borders. These systems have different mandates, so contacting more than one is appropriate. Avoid rumors, paid intermediaries and public disclosure of sensitive personal data.
Start with the official channels in parallel
Do not wait for one agency to reply before contacting another. Make the NIB report and police report as soon as possible, then submit a separate ICRC tracing request. Keep a written log of every call, form submission, reference number, document and reply.
- Report the disappearance, captivity or other concern to the NIB. Its English-language service lists a 24/7 hotline at 1648 and +380 44 287-81-65 for calls from abroad. Check the NIB website immediately before calling because contact details and forms can change.
- File a missing-person statement with the National Police. Ask how to provide the genetic material requested for identification. This is an official police-search procedure; an at-home consumer DNA test is not an equivalent substitute.
- If detention is suspected, preserve and submit evidence. Save screenshots, audio recordings and video, retain the original files, record where and when each item came from, and give the material to the investigator handling the police criminal proceeding.
- Open an ICRC tracing request. The CTA Bureau accepts online requests in English, Ukrainian or Russian. The service is free, and families abroad can also ask their local National Red Cross or Red Crescent Society to help.
- Use public police information only as a cross-check. The Ministry of Internal Affairs wanted-person lookup can provide an additional lead, but an absent listing does not show that someone is safe, alive or not detained.
Report the case to Ukraine’s National Information Bureau
What the NIB can receive
The NIB’s reporting system covers more than a conventional missing-person case. Its listed categories include captivity, disappearance, deportation or forced displacement, forced mobilisation in temporarily occupied territories, and death. Describe what is known without guessing the person’s status. If you have only lost contact, say exactly when and how communication stopped.
#1 Best Overall
- HD streaming made simple: With America’s number 1 TV streaming platform,* exploring popular apps—plus tons of free movies, shows, and live TV—is as easy as it is fun. *Based on hours streamed—Hypothesis Group
- Compact without compromises: The sleek design of Roku Streaming Stick won’t block neighboring HDMI ports, and it even powers from your TV alone, plugging into the back and staying out of sight. No wall outlet, no extra cords, no clutter.
- No more juggling remotes: Power up your TV, adjust the volume, and control your Roku device with one remote. Use your voice to quickly search, play entertainment, and more.
- Shows on the go: Take your TV to-go when traveling—without needing to log into someone else’s device.
- TV, simplified: With setup that only takes minutes, a simple-to-navigate Home Screen, and an uncluttered remote control that does all you need—Roku makes it easier to watch the TV you love.
How to contact it
The NIB’s current English-language site lists 1648 as a 24/7 hotline. People calling from outside Ukraine can use +380 44 287-81-65. Recheck both numbers and the online form on the NIB site at the time you use them; an agency’s phone routing or web form can be revised.
Prepare the person’s full name and spelling variants, date of birth, Ukrainian identification details if available, last known location and time, nationality, language, family contacts, photographs and any information about travel, evacuation, occupation or possible detention. Give the NIB a reliable way to reach you and note the case or call reference it provides.
What a report does not establish
Submitting a report does not itself confirm captivity, death or a particular perpetrator. It places the information with a Ukrainian intake system that can route it to the relevant authorities. Do not convert an unverified message, social-media post or anonymous call into a factual allegation when speaking publicly.
File a formal missing-person report with the National Police
Why the police report matters
The National Police report creates the formal investigative record for a missing person. NIB guidance says to submit a statement and provide genetic material for DNA testing as part of the search. Ask the receiving police unit what collection method, forms and identification documents it currently requires.
Genetic material is an official procedure, not a shopping recommendation
Police DNA collection is used to compare a relative’s genetic profile with unidentified human remains or other investigative material. The guidance does not say to buy a commercial kit, and a consumer test does not replace the police process. Do not send biological samples to an unverified intermediary.
Rank #2
- Ultra-speedy streaming: Roku Ultra is 30% faster than any other Roku player, delivering a lightning-fast interface and apps that launch in a snap.
- Cinematic streaming: This TV streaming device brings the movie theater to your living room with spectacular 4K, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision picture alongside immersive Dolby Atmos audio.
- The ultimate Roku remote: The rechargeable Roku Voice Remote Pro offers backlit buttons, hands-free voice controls, and a lost remote finder.
- No more fumbling in the dark: See what you’re pressing with backlit buttons.
- Say goodbye to batteries: Keep your remote powered for months on a single charge.
Information to take to the police
- A recent photograph and any older photograph that shows identifying features.
- Full legal name, patronymic where used, date and place of birth, citizenship and identification numbers if known.
- Physical description, scars, tattoos, medical conditions, medications, dental information and clothing last seen.
- Last confirmed location, date and time, route, transport, companions and the last successful contact.
- Phone numbers, messaging accounts, email addresses and usernames, without deleting messages or altering the device.
- Names and contact details of witnesses, relatives, employers or evacuation contacts.
Ask for the investigator’s name, the police proceeding or report number and a safe method for delivering additional material. Keep copies of everything you submit.
If detention is suspected, preserve evidence safely
Collect the material that already exists
The Coordination Headquarters advises collecting available evidence such as screenshots of messages, audio recordings and video, then providing it to the investigator handling the police criminal proceeding. Evidence can include a message saying that the person was taken to a checkpoint, a video showing a transfer, a photograph of a place of detention, or a call recording. Do not manufacture, edit or enhance a file in a way that could obscure its original content.
Keep originals and make an evidence log
Store the original file in a secure location and make a working copy for review. For each item, record the date and time you received or created it, the device or account involved, the sender or source, the circumstances in which it was obtained, and every person to whom you gave it. Preserve message headers, visible usernames, links and surrounding conversation where possible. This record is practical chain-of-custody information; the investigator can tell you what format or transfer method is acceptable.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Send evidence to the investigator, not to public forums
Provide the material through the police investigator or another official channel identified by the authorities. Posting a suspected detention video publicly can expose the missing person, relatives or witnesses to retaliation, reveal sensitive locations and spread an edited or false interpretation. Keep the case private unless an official investigator asks for a public appeal.
Use the other official channels identified in Ukrainian guidance
NIB guidance identifies the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) United Centre and the ICRC as additional channels. The Coordination Headquarters also lists its own contact route alongside the NIB, SBU and ICRC. Use the current contact details shown on those institutions’ official pages rather than relying on an old screenshot, forwarded telephone number or an intermediary’s promise.
Rank #3
- 4K streaming made simple:With America’s number 1 TV streaming platform,* exploring popular apps—plus tons of free movies, shows, and live TV—is as easy as it is fun. *Based on hours streamed—Hypothesis Group
- 4K picture quality: With Roku Streaming Stick Plus, watch your favorites with brilliant 4K picture and vivid HDR color.
- Compact without compromises: Our sleek design won’t block neighboring HDMI ports, and it even powers from your TV alone, plugging into the back and staying out of sight. No wall outlet, no extra cords, no clutter.
- No more juggling remotes: Power up your TV, adjust the volume, and control your Roku device with one remote. Use your voice to quickly search, play entertainment, and more.
- Shows on the go: Take your TV to-go when traveling—without needing to log into someone else’s device.
A procedural article from 2022 describes contacting police, NIB, SBU and ICRC in sequence. Because procedures and contact points can change during the war, treat that older sequence as background and confirm the current instructions with the relevant institution when you submit a case.
Open a separate ICRC tracing request
What the ICRC tracing service does
The ICRC Central Tracing Agency Bureau is a humanitarian tracing service for families without news of relatives. The ICRC describes its purpose this way: “The Central Tracing Agency (CTA) Bureau for the international armed conflict between the Russian Federation and Ukraine aims at preventing disappearances and alleviating the suffering of families who remain without news of their loved ones, either because they have been captured or killed or because they fled their homes and have lost contact.”
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →This is different from a Ukrainian police investigation. The CTA Bureau can work through the international Red Cross and Red Crescent network to seek information, restore family contact or clarify a person’s fate. Opening a request does not replace a police report, and a police report does not replace humanitarian tracing.
How to submit and what it costs
The ICRC offers an online tracing form in English, Ukrainian or Russian. Its service is free. The ICRC advises families to contact a national Red Cross or Red Crescent Society; people outside Ukraine can use the directory of their own country’s society to ask for assistance with the request.
The newer CTA Bureau information lists 0 800 300 155 for callers in Ukraine and provides multilingual online intake. Verify the number and form before submitting, especially if you are calling from another country.
Rank #4
- Stunning 4K and Dolby Vision streaming made simple: With America’s number 1 TV streaming platform,* exploring popular apps—plus tons of free movies, shows, and live TV—is as easy as it is fun. *Based on hours streamed—Hypothesis Group
- Breathtaking picture quality: Stunningly sharp 4K picture brings out rich detail in your entertainment with four times the resolution of HD. Watch as colors pop off your screen and enjoy lifelike clarity with Dolby Vision and HDR10+.
- Seamless streaming for any room: With Roku Streaming Stick 4K, watch your favorite entertainment on any TV in the house, even in rooms farther from your router thanks to the long-range Wi-Fi receiver.
- Shows on the go: Take your TV to-go when traveling—without needing to log into someone else’s device.
- Compact without compromises: Our sleek design won’t block neighboring HDMI ports, so you can switch from streaming to gaming with ease. Plus, it’s designed to stay hidden behind your TV, keeping wires neatly out of sight
Expect delays during high demand
The ICRC says demand is high and tracing requests are taking longer than expected. A practical-information page states that its Ukraine contact centre operates Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. and 2–5 p.m. Ukraine time, excluding weekends and Ukrainian public holidays. That page was last updated on 18 March 2025, so treat those hours as potentially stale and check the current CTA information before relying on them. No source establishes a guaranteed reply or resolution time.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
What the ICRC figures mean
The ICRC reported the following aggregate CTA Bureau figures at the end of September 2026:
| Reported figure | What it covers |
|---|---|
| 280,000 people still missing | ICRC Central Tracing Agency Bureau aggregate reporting for the Ukraine international armed conflict; it is not a count limited to civilians. |
| 841,000 contacts with families of missing persons | Aggregate contacts made by the ICRC tracing operation. |
| 18,400 families informed about the fate or whereabouts of missing loved ones | Cases in which the ICRC reported information to families. |
| 38,400 personal messages between prisoners of war and their families | Messages facilitated through the tracing operation. |
| 133 countries covered | Work conducted with 59 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and 50 ICRC delegations. |
These numbers describe the ICRC’s broader Ukraine conflict tracing work. They must not be relabelled as the number of missing Ukrainian civilians, nor interpreted as a forecast for an individual case.
Compare the routes before you choose your next action
| Route | Primary role | How to submit | Language and geography | Cost and expectations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Information Bureau | Ukrainian intake for disappearance, captivity, deportation, forced displacement, forced mobilisation in temporarily occupied territories and death reports. | 24/7 phone reporting and the NIB online service. | Ukraine-focused; the site lists an English-language service and a number for callers abroad. | No resolution time is guaranteed; verify current phone and form details. |
| National Police | Formal missing-person search and criminal investigation where appropriate, including collection of genetic material. | Police statement and evidence delivered to the assigned investigator. | Ukrainian law-enforcement process. | Not a commercial DNA-testing service; ask the police for current submission instructions. |
| SBU United Centre and Coordination Headquarters | Additional official channels identified in Ukrainian guidance, particularly where captivity or conflict-related circumstances are suspected. | Use the current contact details on their official pages. | Ukraine-focused government channels. | Procedures and contact details can change; do not rely on an old 2022 article alone. |
| ICRC Central Tracing Agency Bureau | Humanitarian tracing, restoring family contact and seeking information about fate or whereabouts. | Free online form, ICRC contact centre or a national Red Cross/Red Crescent Society. | Forms in English, Ukrainian and Russian; international network for families in Ukraine or abroad. | High demand is causing delays; no guaranteed response or outcome time. |
| Ministry of Internal Affairs wanted-person lookup | Public cross-check for a possible listing. | Online search. | Public Ukrainian government information. | An absent result is inconclusive and cannot establish safety or non-detention. |
A practical case-management plan
- Create one factual timeline. Write the last confirmed contact, location, travel route, witnesses and every later report in date order. Mark facts, direct observations and unverified claims separately.
- Assemble an identity packet. Include photographs, identity details, physical and medical descriptors, phone and account information, and the names of close relatives.
- Call or submit to the NIB. Describe the event precisely, ask for a reference number and save the date, time and staff instructions.
- Submit the police statement. Confirm that the case is recorded, ask for the investigator’s contact and follow the instructions for genetic material.
- Secure evidence. Copy messages, recordings and videos without editing them. Keep originals and an evidence log, then transfer copies through the investigator’s requested channel.
- Contact the SBU United Centre or Coordination Headquarters when relevant. Use the current official contact information and tell them which reports already exist.
- File the ICRC tracing request. Provide the same verified identity and timeline information, state what has already been reported, and save the ICRC reference.
- Set a follow-up schedule. Check for replies at reasonable intervals, update agencies when a fact changes, and avoid sending contradictory versions based on rumor.
Information to prepare before you call or complete a form
Identity and contact details
- Full name in the original spelling, transliteration variants and any nickname.
- Date and place of birth, nationality, identity-document details and a recent photograph.
- Phone numbers, messaging services, email addresses, social-media usernames and vehicle details if relevant.
- Names, phone numbers and safe addresses for relatives who can verify the information.
Last-known circumstances
- Date, time and location of the last confirmed contact, with the time zone if relatives are in different countries.
- Route, transport, companions, checkpoints, evacuation arrangements, occupation or military-control information.
- Exact wording of the last message or call, clearly marked as a quotation rather than a conclusion about detention.
- Names of witnesses and the source of every later claim.
Evidence handling
- Original screenshots, audio, video, photographs and message exports.
- A note showing when and how each item was obtained.
- A list of copies sent, recipient, date and method.
- Secure backups that do not overwrite the original device or account data.
Share only what an agency needs. A full identity document, address, phone number or medical record should not be posted in an open group merely to attract attention.
How to evaluate information you receive
Separate confirmation from a lead
A message from a neighbor, anonymous account, released prisoner, local official or social-media group may be a lead, but it is not confirmation by itself. Record the source and pass it to the police investigator, NIB or ICRC. Ask the source when and how they learned the information rather than adding assumptions.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Best Value
- The Google TV Streamer (4K) delivers your favorite entertainment quickly, easily, and personalized to you[1,2]
- HDMI 2.1 cable required (sold separately)
- See movies and TV shows from all your services right from your home screen[2]; and find new things to watch with tailored recommendations for everyone in your home based on their interests and viewing habits
- Watch live TV and access over 800 free channels from Pluto TV, Tubi, and more[3]; if you find an interesting show or movie on your TV, mobile app, or Google search, you can easily add it to your watchlist, so it’s ready when you are[2]
- Up to 4K HDR with Dolby Vision delivers captivating, true-to-life detail[4]; and you can connect speakers that support Dolby Atmos for more immersive 3D sound
Do not treat silence as an answer
No reply from an agency, no phone connection and no entry in a public lookup can result from many causes, including incomplete records, destroyed communications or processing delays. The evidence available here does not support interpreting an absent public listing as proof that a person is safe or not detained.
Be cautious with intermediaries
People who promise guaranteed access, a paid “database check” or a rapid release are not a substitute for the NIB, police or ICRC. Do not pay for a supposed official result, surrender original documents or send sensitive evidence to an unknown broker. If someone asks for money or threatens a family member, preserve the messages and tell the official investigator.
If you are outside Ukraine
Use the NIB number listed for calls from abroad, +380 44 287-81-65, and verify the current international dialing instructions. File the ICRC request online or ask your country’s National Red Cross or Red Crescent Society to help transmit it. You can still provide information to the Ukrainian police case through the investigator’s approved channel; ask about a representative in Ukraine if travel is impossible.
Keep copies of Ukrainian and translated documents, but do not create competing spellings that make the person harder to identify. Tell every agency which language you prefer and which family member is the primary contact.
Recommended Free Tools
Privacy and safety rules for public appeals
- Do not publish passport numbers, full home addresses, unredacted medical records, private phone numbers or evidence that could identify a witness.
- Do not name a suspected detainer or accuse a person publicly on the basis of an unverified post.
- Before sharing a photograph, check whether it exposes a current location, military information or another person who has not consented.
- Direct original evidence to the investigator and official tracing channels, not to a public comments section.
- Tell agencies if publicity could put the missing person or relatives at additional risk.
A carefully worded public appeal can ask for contact from witnesses without asserting an unconfirmed detention or publishing private data. Obtain guidance from the investigator before releasing sensitive details.
What reliable information can and cannot do
These channels can register the case, compare information, pursue investigative leads and communicate verified developments. They cannot promise that every disappearance will be resolved quickly, that a person will appear in a public database, or that a single submission will reach every relevant authority. The most dependable approach is a documented, parallel process: NIB and police for Ukrainian reporting and investigation, the ICRC for humanitarian tracing, and official follow-up when new evidence appears.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
Say something about this film