Three Years of the Coordination Headquarters

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On March 21, co-founders of the Association of Azovstal Defenders' Families joined the conference dedicated to the third anniversary of the Coordination Headquarters. The event brought together numerous representatives of government bodies and the Security and Defense Forces of Ukraine who are part of the Headquarters.

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Over the three years of its work, the Headquarters has facilitated the return of 4,306 people from captivity through exchanges and 469 outside of exchanges. More than 7,000 bodies of defenders have also been repatriated. In addition, the Headquarters has developed a unique information system, a network of regional centers, and special initiatives to support exchange efforts, such as “I Want to Live” and “I Want to Find”.

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Panel discussions during the event focused on the ethics and responsibility of the media when working with those released from captivity, long-term support and reintegration into society after prolonged isolation and the voice of families on the international stage.

One of the discussions featured Dmytro “Diplomat” Andriushchenko, an officer of the Azov Brigade and its representative at the Coordination Headquarters. He emphasized the importance of sustained public attention to the issue of prisoners of war and the need for the state to improve reintegration processes for former captives.

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We express our gratitude to Kyrylo Budanov, Head of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine and Head of the Coordination Headquarters, to Dmytro Usov, Secretary of the Headquarters and to the entire team for their work! Together we continue the fight to bring the defenders of Azovstal home.