PHOTO DAVID GUTTENFELDER
Uniform of a soldier who lost his life.
KYIV, Ukraine – After nearly two years of agonizing uncertainty, Maryna dmytrenko learned her 21-year-old son had been killed in action. The confirmation came on June 23rd, following a DNA match to a body repatriated as part of an ongoing exchange program between Ukraine and Russia. the news, while devastating, brought a measure of closure to a period of relentless waiting.
“All that was left was his latest text: ‘I love you,'” recounted Mme Dmytrenko. “then followed a year and eight months of waiting, of uncertainty, which were worse than hell.”
The identification process, conducted at a local morgue, proved challenging given the condition of the remains. Despite the lack of recognizable features, Mme Dmytrenko was able to formally identify her son thru the DNA confirmation.
Her husband had previously expressed his deepest fear: dying in battle and remaining lost, unrecovered. “Now I am soothed because I know he is at home,” Mme Dmytrenko stated.
The repatriation of bodies has become a critical, yet emotionally fraught, aspect of the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia. Both sides have engaged in multiple exchanges, often brokered by international organizations, to allow families to recover and bury their loved ones. The process is complicated by the scale of the conflict, the intensity of fighting, and the challenges of identifying remains in contested territories.
The conflict, which escalated significantly in February 2022, has resulted in a considerable number of casualties on both sides. While precise figures remain contested and are subject to change, estimates suggest tens of thousands of soldiers have been killed.The recovery and identification of fallen soldiers are crucial for providing closure to grieving families and upholding the principles of international humanitarian law.
The exchange program highlights the immense human cost of the war and the enduring pain experienced by families on both sides of the conflict. It also underscores the importance of accountability and the need for continued efforts to ensure the dignified treatment of the deceased.
