Since 2022, Ukraine has had a law in place that provides financial and other support to families of those detained and released from captivity. The first step in receiving such assistance is to officially confirm the fact of deprivation of liberty due to armed aggression by the Russian Federation. We explain how to do this below.
Who establishes the fact of deprivation of liberty?
The authority to establish the fact of deprivation of personal liberty as a result of armed aggression against Ukraine was transferred to the Ministry of Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine in early 2025. Previously, such a commission operated under the Ministry of Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories.
The Commission considers each application separately, analyzing the facts and circumstances in detail. In 2025, it has already adopted more than 3,600 such decisions.
Who can apply to the Commission?
Family members of illegally detained persons (parents, spouse, legal representatives of joint minor children, adult children, common-law spouses, in the case of a court decision establishing the fact of cohabitation as a family without registration of marriage, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren) or the person themselves after release.
If the application is submitted by a family member, it will be necessary to confirm family ties. For this purpose, a marriage certificate, child’s birth certificate, etc. will suffice.
Applications may be submitted by military personnel or foreigners who are military personnel, as well as civilians who, in accordance with the above-mentioned Law, were detained
“in connection with activities aimed at expressing views, values, positions in defense of the state sovereignty, territorial integrity, and inviolability of Ukraine, the democratic constitutional order, and other national interests of Ukraine, as well as for professional, public, political, or human rights activities related to the defense of the state sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, and inviolability of Ukraine, the democratic constitutional order and other national interests of Ukraine, the protection of the rights and freedoms of persons deprived of their personal liberty due to such activities, if there were grounds to believe that the exercise of such activities posed a real or potential danger of unlawful persecution of a person by the aggressor state, its bodies, subdivisions, formations, or other entities;
in connection with the illegal actions of the aggressor state, its bodies, subdivisions, formations, other entities with the obvious or hidden purpose of inducing Ukraine, another state, state body, organization, including international, legal entities or individuals to act or refrain from acting as a condition for the release of a citizen of Ukraine.
The fact of deprivation of liberty is established in relation to persons who were arbitrarily detained by the Russian military, occupation authorities, held or continue to be held in places of deprivation of liberty on the territory of the Russian Federation and in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.
What documents should be prepared?
An application (application form – follow the link), which should contain a detailed description of the circumstances of deprivation of personal liberty.
You will also need to attach:
A certificate from the Ministry of Defense or other military authority confirming captivity – for military personnel, or documents confirming the fact and circumstances of unlawful deprivation of liberty – for civilians.
An extract from the Unified State Register of Pre-trial Investigations (if available).
Copies of documents proving identity and confirming citizenship
Notification from the security and defense authorities regarding the person
Documents confirming family ties (if submitted by a family member).
To obtain a certificate of detention, you can, in particular, apply to the military unit or unit commander with a free-form application. In addition, you can also apply to the state-owned enterprise Ukrainian National Peacebuilding Center (email: info@nib.gov.ua; phone number: 1648) to obtain a certificate.
How to submit documents?
You can use digital services or send them by mail.
Namely:
use the form on the Ministry of Development website
the National Information Bureau website
send to the email address: miu@mtu.gov.ua
by mail to the address: 01135 Kyiv, Berezestskyi Avenue, 14
In addition, the necessary information can be obtained from the Ministry of Development by calling: (044) 351-48-70; (044) 351-41-58; (044) 351-49-40; by messenger (Viber) +38 (097) 901-55-71 (on working days and hours: Mon-Thu 09.00-18.00, Fri 9.00-16.45, break 13.00-13.45).