A unique case occurred in Ukraine: a serviceman who was officially declared dead based on a DNA test turned out to be alive after a prolonged detention in Russian captivity. This was the first such case in the country.
Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets reported that the state has not yet made a decision regarding the return of payments by the family of the serviceman from Lviv region who was found alive after being held captive. According to Lubinets, this is the first case where a soldier officially declared dead through the DNA procedure was found among the living. The family was given other bodies for burial, and they received state compensation.
The information that Nazar Daletsky is alive came from the Russian side, prompting a thorough investigation. Following the serviceman’s return from captivity as part of a prisoner exchange, Lubinets contacted the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Health with official requests to identify the reasons for the errors in the DNA identification procedure.
The Ombudsman emphasized the need to avoid violating Daletsky’s rights and those of his family during the consideration of the case. Taras Podvornyi, the Ombudsman’s representative in the Lviv region, stressed that the situation is a legal precedent and requires the development of a new action algorithm, considering the incorrectly paid 15 million UAH.
It is known that during martial law the state provides a payment of 15 million UAH to the family of a deceased serviceman. The distribution of funds among family members is regulated by legislation.
| Event | Date | Number of Returned Ukrainians |
|---|---|---|
| Prisoner Exchange | February 5, 2026 | 157 |
