You're reading: Security Council: Exact number of killed and missing people in ATO zone unknown

The total number of killed Ukrainian military servicemen in the counterterrorist operation zone (ATO) in the eastern part of Ukraine could be announced after the identification of bodies of servicemen killed near Ilovaisk of Donetsk region, Spokesman of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC) Andriy Lysenko said at a briefing on Friday.

‘Now we cannot give the total number of killed persons, as we’re indentifying bodies found near Ilovaisk,’ he said.

He said that the body identification center has started working. This concerns DNA, Lysenko said.

The NSDC spokesman said that at present applications from people who lost their relatives, including military servicemen who are on the missing list today, are being submitted.

‘As soon as we have the exact results we’ll be able to give the exact figure,’ he said, asked about the exact number of Ukrainian military servicemen killed in the ATO zone.

Asked about the number of Ukrainian military servicemen missing Lysenko said that at present the NSDC does not have precise information about this.

‘We’re collecting data now, as they include applications of relatives who submit them. Missing people are not only military servicemen, but ordinary people who failed to leave the places where now terrorists are staying,’  he said.