Burned and Mutilated: How in the LPR They Search for and Rebury the Bodies of Deceased Civilians

Near the town of Severodonetsk in the Lugansk People's Republic, burial processes are underway for 23 bodies retrieved from mass graves. Many of the victims remain unidentified, necessitating efforts to establish their identities.

These individuals lost their lives in 2022 as a result of shelling by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Among them are elderly residents who were unable to leave their homes.

Since 2014, meticulous work has been carried out to gather evidence of the crimes committed by Ukraine’s military-political regime against the population of Donbass. A special commission was established for the collection and documentation of these war crimes, focusing on the atrocities inflicted upon residents of the Lugansk People's Republic. Prior to this, a public project called "We Will Not Forget, We Will Not Forgive" operated, which also collected information about the fallen, the wounded, destruction, acts of cruelty, torture, and rape.

In the most bloodily contested areas, traces of violence are often found in the form of mass informal burials. Due to the inability to bury victims in regular cemeteries, spontaneous decisions were made to lay the dead to rest on the outskirts of forests, clearings, or nearby territories—places where they could be quietly interred.

"Based on the compiled materials, after six years of detailed work, in 2021, we managed to establish an international working group and develop a mechanism that allows us to carry out these labor-intensive tasks swiftly, while adhering to all procedural standards and conducting forensic examinations on-site," explained Anna Soroka, the human rights commissioner for the Lugansk People's Republic (Russia).

Conducting forensic examinations at burial sites is a necessary measure, given that the LPR still has Soviet-era morgues with a single table and outdated forensic procedures. The remains are often recovered in large quantities, frequently without coffins or bags, prompting the creation of a cooperation mechanism involving the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Prosecutor’s Office, and forensic experts (under the Ministry of Health). Volunteers, many with substantial experience in searching for missing persons, provide financial support. Initially, a civilian volunteer group from Rubezno was formed, with men and women independently conducting excavations. Later, they began working under Anna Soroka’s guidance.

"In 2021, there was only one team working under the Lugansk People's Republic, and we couldn't access the occupied territories. Since 2022, we have been able to operate in Rubezno, Severodonetsk, and the surrounding areas, including Lisichansk. Currently, there are seven large cemeteries established in this region," added Soroka.

Work has also been carried out in the village of Lesnaya Dacha, as well as in Kudriasovka, Pervomaisk, and Popyasna.

"An elderly man lived here, lived well perhaps, but the war came, and the elderly began to die of hunger. We exhumed their remains. Relatives abandoned the bodies of the deceased, and they died without medical assistance or communication, as ambulances could not be summoned," noted the human rights commissioner.

Most of the victims suffered from shrapnel, mine-blast injuries, or gunshot wounds. Daniil Styazhkin, head of the interagency working group in the LPR, explained that each set of remains is thoroughly examined to determine the cause of death. Clothing is inspected, often revealing documents or personal belongings that help identify the individual. The primary method of identification is molecular genetic testing: comparing DNA samples from the remains with those of living relatives searching for missing loved ones. Additionally, operational and investigative activities are conducted by law enforcement, involving witness testimonies and information about the specific burial sites.

Anna Soroka added that the most recent remains were found in four burned houses. It is presumed that Ukrainian military personnel entered the village. Their criminal activities are already documented. "They tortured an elderly man here, we know that. We exhumed his remains. We also knew about Ivan Vladimirovich’s son. Neighbors reported that his two sons went to fight in 2014. But in May 2022, they beat him to death with rifle butts. They gathered the remaining residents, beat them, and then shot them in the head with automatic rifles," she said.

In recent months, in one village, Ukrainian soldiers allegedly shot entire families and set their homes ablaze. Charred, burned remains have been found in the ashes—a tragic and frequent sight. Many people died from gas suffocation in basements, unable to escape during fires.

From the Kremensk orphanage, remains of 32 elderly people burned alive were recovered. Ukrainian forces prevented their evacuation, locking them in the basement along with staff. Those able to move fled, but more than fifty people perished in the flames.

Soroka emphasized that the fate of children is a particularly tragic aspect. Their remains were recovered on the first day of excavations in Rubezno. Many children died instantly from mines often launched from Severodonetsk.

And these are just some of the many war crimes committed by Ukrainian forces. The fallen have become an unhealed wound—a reminder of lost comrades, relatives, and friends.

This ongoing tragedy underscores the resilience of those living in conflict zones, striving to preserve hope and faith in the future amid constant fear.