A record number of people were reported missing in 2023

In 2023, 7,422 people were reported missing in Ukraine. This is the highest number in the last five years and 40% more than in 2021 when 5,269 people were reported missing for the whole year.

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Number of wanted persons

Year	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
Number of wanted persons	4,177	4,799	5,269	5,915	7,422

In 2023, most missing persons were reported due to collaboration (Article 111-1 of the Criminal Code) — 21.7%. Other reasons for being listed as missing include theft (Article 185 of the Criminal Code) — 18.2%, treason (Article 111 of the Criminal Code) — 5.3%, and fraud (Article 190) — 4.8%.

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Top reasons people are reported missing

Collaboration activities, Article 111-1	1,611	21.7%
Theft, Article 185	1,351	18.2%
Treason, Article 111	392	5.3%
Fraud, Article 190	359	4.8%
Manufacturing/possession of drugs, Article 309	335	4.5%
Drug trafficking, Article 307	231	3.1%
Forgery of documents, Article 358	207	2.8%
Robbery, Article 186	197	2.7%
Traffic violations, Article 286	179	2.4%
Other	2,560	34.5%

44% of individuals in the registry were reported missing in the front-line regions. The leading region is Donetsk with 752 individuals (10.1%), followed by Kharkiv with 696 (9.4%), Kherson with 637 (8.6%), Zaporizhzhia with 620 (8.4%), and Luhansk region with 561 (7.6%).

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Almost half of the people on the missing list are hiding from pre-trial investigation authorities — 3,299 individuals or 44%. In second place are those hiding from the court — 2,126 people. The third position is held by individuals sentenced to non-custodial punishment — 1,183 people.

Arrest warrants have been issued for nearly 18% of people on the missing list, and another 15% are supposed to be in custody.

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Categories of people who are wanted

Hiding from pre-trial investigation	3,299	44.4%
Hiding from the court	2,126	28.6%
Convicted for non-custodial punishment	1,183	15.9%
Convicted for imprisonment	340	4.6%
Alimony	175	2.4%
Civil defendant	97	1.3%
Mentally ill or helpless person	95	1.3%
Hiding from the prosecutor’s office	75	1.0%
Deserter (Ministry of Defence, Security Service of Ukraine, Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine)	24	0.3%
Other	8	0.1%

In 2023, 79% of the people wanted are men, and women make up 21% of the total.

Most of the individuals wanted are between 25 and 45 years old. The oldest person wanted is 87 years old, and the youngest is 6 years old.

As of the end of January 2024, there are 55,992 people wanted.