Legal Aspects of Addressing Problematic Issues in Protecting the Rights of Close Relatives and Family Members of Persons Missing Under Special Circumstances

Currently, a significant percentage of military personnel hold the status of «missing under special circumstances». The legal acts of Ukraine define the legal status of persons missing under special circumstances, as well as the rights of their close relatives and family members. This article analyzes the current legislation that establishes the rights of close relatives and family members of persons missing under special circumstances. The development of this topic allows for an assessment of the effectiveness of protecting the rights of close relatives and family members of persons missing under special circumstances and helps to identify the problematic issues faced by this category of individuals. The author raises practical challenges encountered by military personnel and the close relatives and family members of persons missing under special circumstances. These issues include the timely collection of genomic information from military personnel; the ordering, receipt, issuance, registration, and verification of an identification tag’s presence among military personnel; communication between state authorities and the close relatives and family members of persons missing under special circumstances; the registration, completion, and submission of applications through the user’s electronic cabinet in the information system of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War; and the establishment of a Public Council under the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War. The article provides a scientific and practical analysis of specific provisions of current legislation in this field, identifies problematic issues, and proposes solutions. Key words: missing persons under special circumstances; rights of close relatives of persons missing under special circumstances; rights of family members of persons missing under special circumstances; collection of genomic information from military personnel; ordering, receipt, issuance, registration, and verification of an identification tag’s presence among military personnel; user’s electronic cabinet in the information system of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War; Public Council; public association; public organization.