Officials urge families of missing soldiers to abide by information security rules

That’s according to the Ministry for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories, Ukrinform reports.

"We are on the same side. Sometimes, by non-deliberate actions, citizens can harm the negotiation process, and in the worst case scenario, harm their loved ones. Behind the incitement in chat rooms, where the families of the missing and captured communicate, there may be hostile special services that are trying to sow discord in our society. For Ukraine, every missing or captured defender is equally valuable. We are fighting and will fight for the return of each of them!" said Oleh Kotenko, the Commissioner for Missing Persons.

The Ministry for Reintegration noted that neither rallies nor reports in mass media will speed up the process of release from captivity or handing over the bodies of fallen heroes.’ Negotiations with the opposite party are decisive in this case. Therefore, the agency called for “caution” when communicating on social media, as well as urged families to keep information security issues in mind at all times.

"Do not provide any data to strangers, as well as to unofficial Internet resources. Trust only official bodies that do everything to ensure that you can see your loved ones as soon as possible. State authorities understand well the needs of citizens, take into account and protect their interests without rallies, chants, or unnecessary informational noise," the statement reads.

As reported, Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said that from the list of missing Ukrainian soldiers, which Ukraine handed over to the Russian side, 23 defenders turned out to be alive.