Ukrainians Protest Bill Over Missing Soldiers Legal Status in Kyiv

Hundreds of Ukrainians marched in Kyiv on Friday to demand a presidential veto of legislation they fear could prematurely declare missing soldiers dead, as the war continued with cross-border strikes and diplomatic efforts stalled.

The protesters oppose Bill No. 13646, which addresses the legal status of missing persons. Participants say certain provisions could allow courts to declare missing military personnel legally dead before their fate is confirmed. Mariana Yatselenko, a 27-year-old participant, said the families gathered so that the missing are not equated with the dead. More than 90,000 people are listed as missing in Ukraine's unified registry, according to Artur Dobrosierdov, the country's commissioner for missing persons. The registry, which began operating in May 2023, covers people who disappeared during combat, as a result of armed aggression, or in occupied territories, mostly after Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022, though some cases date back to 2014.

The demonstration coincided with reports of continued hostilities. Russian authorities said Ukrainian drones struck a college dormitory in Starobilsk, a city in the Russia-occupied Luhansk...