You're reading: Total of 4.6 million Soviet soldiers, killed in World War II, still not identified

The Russian Defense Ministry has not yet identified 4.6 million Soviet soldiers, whose remains are buried in Russia and abroad, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said.

“A total of over 32,000 burial sites of over 7 million people are registered by the ministry. A total of 2.6 million are known by surname. Unfortunately, the names of another 4.6 million have not yet been determined,” Shoigu said when speaking at a meeting of the Russian organizing committee Pobeda (Victory).

In 2012 alone, 299 new burial sites, in which over 11,000 people – with 9,000 identified – are buried, have been registered, Shoigu said.

Archival and investigative work on identifying the dead soldiers continue, the Russian defense minister said.