What lessons can be drawn from the Balkans when studying Ukraine and its recent conflicts? After Russia’s large-scale invasion, many forensic anthropologists, pathologists, DNA collection specialists, criminologists, and other experts with experience in the Yugoslav wars and post‑Balkan crises shifted to work on Ukraine-related projects. Their careers intersect at the crossroads of war, forensics, and the need to identify the missing. The effort reflects a lineage of methods learned over decades of conflict, adapting previous lessons to today’s urgent circumstances in the Slavic region.
Since the Balkan wars of the 1990s, several factors have shaped why these professionals are in Ukraine now. Geography and history matter, but so does the reality that investigations continue while hostilities persist. The ongoing work demonstrates a disciplined approach to search, recovery, and identification of the missing. It is a mission rooted in hard-won lessons from earlier conflicts, carried forward into today’s efforts to document and learn from this enduring tragedy.
Concrete examples illuminate the approach. In Ukraine, as in the Balkans, DNA analysis is used to confirm identities, although the processes can vary based on circumstances. Matthew Holliday, who oversees Ukraine and the Western Balkans, notes that there is a systematic approach to processing the dead that does not always align with earlier Balkan practices, sometimes leading to misidentifications. The International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) operates as a key international backbone for these efforts. Funded mainly by government contributions, ICMP was created to identify the dead and disappeared from Balkan wars and has since expanded to work in other violent contexts such as Syria, Libya, and Iraq. Today it collaborates with Ukrainian authorities, including the Ministry of Internal Affairs and several prosecutorial offices responsible for these cases.
past mistakes
Holliday recalls that between 1999 and 2001, during the Kosovo crisis, many forensic teams assisted in identifying the missing, yet DNA testing was not widely used. Visual inspections of corpses or personal specimens were common, which carried a high risk of error. Some individuals were buried under another person’s name, and families spent years searching in vain for their loved ones. The tragedy of Srebrenica, where more than 8,000 Bosnian men and boys lost their lives, underscores the dangers of relying on appearance alone for identification.
Today, DNA testing has become widely integrated into Ukraine’s identification work, especially in areas reclaimed from occupation. In the early months, many bodies were preliminarily identified by relatives’ eyewitness recognition. Yet the evolution toward genetic methods continues, with DNA providing a more reliable line of evidence. With estimates of casualties exceeding 20,000—about a quarter of them civilians—the role of accurate identification remains urgent and immense.
Evidence in criminal cases
The implications go beyond closure for families. Accurate identification also strengthens the evidentiary basis for potential criminal proceedings in international or Ukrainian courts. The participation of war-crimes experts within the European Union Mission in Ukraine highlights a deliberate effort to transfer forensic capabilities trained in Bosnia and Kosovo to the current context. While requests to meet with such professionals have faced obstacles, the shared objective remains clear: build solid, attributable evidence from forensically sound practices that can stand in court.
Other seasoned professionals with experience from Balkan conflicts are part of this broader effort. The United Nations system—through entities such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), UN Women, and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)—brings operational expertise, resources, and international coordination to Ukraine’s identification and documentation programs. Their involvement helps ensure that forensic work aligns with international standards while addressing the humanitarian needs of affected communities. The collaboration among regional and international actors underscores a shared commitment to accountability, memory, and justice in times of war.