Over 1,500 missing citizens have been found in the region in 2026.

      At a press event dedicated to International Missing Children's Day, held at the Nizhny Novgorod Regional Information Center in Nizhny Novgorod, Deputy Head of the 8th Department of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for the region, Police Lieutenant Colonel Mikhail Belyaev, and the head of the volunteer search and rescue center "Lynx," Andrey Ermolayev, participated. The speakers noted that thousands of people go missing in the country every year. Behind every number is a person's fate, the anxiety of loved ones, and hope for their return. And when it comes to missing children, who due to their age may not be able to navigate the situation, such cases require the most prompt response, which means that the coordination of actions taken by the police and volunteers must be streamlined to the point of automation. According to the data provided by Police Lieutenant Colonel Mikhail Belyaev, over 1,600 reports of missing persons were received by the police in the region in just four months of 2026, including in urban and natural environments, of which more than 271 were reports of missing children. The whereabouts of 259 minors were established shortly after the reports, 12 children were declared wanted at the federal level and were subsequently found. Within 10 days from the submission of the relevant application to the internal affairs agency without opening a missing persons case, the police established the whereabouts of more than 1,500 people. Also, this year, 61 citizens have been declared wanted at the federal level, 32 of whom have been found, and operational search activities to locate the remaining 29 individuals are ongoing. The speaker noted that almost half of the missing citizens are individuals aged 36 to 59. Minors make up only 16% of the total number of people who have left home or lost contact with their loved ones. "A report to the police about a missing person is accepted regardless of how long ago the disappearance occurred, the location of the disappearance, or the availability of information about the missing person's residence or whereabouts. Moreover, there is no need to wait several days to make such a report to law enforcement. As soon as there is an understanding that a person is missing and needs help, it is crucial to contact the duty unit of the nearest internal affairs agency in person or by phone, providing a description of the missing person. This can also be done by calling the unified emergency services number '112' or by contacting any volunteer organization operating in the region," noted Mikhail Belyaev. The speakers emphasized the importance of promptly reporting a person's disappearance to law enforcement. They outlined what information is important to convey to the police and volunteers to take measures for the search and how this can affect the scale of the rescue operation to find a citizen who has lost contact with their loved ones. They also shared specific examples of the process of interaction between internal affairs agencies and volunteers in organizing and conducting search activities. In anticipation of the summer season, when citizens go to the forest for recreation, mushroom and berry picking, specialists urged not to forget about safety rules. "Preparation is necessary for a trip to the forest: a charged phone, bright clothing, and informing loved ones will help those who get lost," notes Andrey Ermolayev. According to the speaker, when going for a walk in the woods, it is essential to inform your relatives where you plan to go and when you expect to return home. You should take a fully charged mobile phone, an extra charger, a supply of water and food, a flashlight, a whistle, and a compass. It would also be wise to download any navigation app to your phone before going into nature, which can help in case of disorientation and guide a person back to their previous route. The specialist also recommended wearing bright-colored clothing or having a vest with reflective elements when going into nature. This is justified by the fact that people in camouflage are not visible during nighttime searches, while bright clothing can help those who find themselves helpless in the woods to be noticed. Additionally, Andrey Vitalyevich recommended that citizens who get lost in the woods dial the combination of numbers "112" themselves. A connection with an operator, who will guide the lost citizen and inform the police of their location, will occur from the phone, even if there is no network from the operator used by the lost person. "There are many ways to 'extract' the coordinates of a missing person from a lost person's smartphone if it is turned on. In particular, volunteers actively use the 'ECHO' project, which helps operators quickly localize the whereabouts of a lost person. Difficulties with this approach arise only for owners of button mobile phones and if the lost person's phone is dead," said a volunteer. The speakers called for special attention to be paid to children – they should not be allowed to go into the woods without adult supervision. Parents should also pay attention to teenagers who may run away from home due to conflicts with their relatives during puberty. Reports of missing minors who have not found common ground with their parents are regularly received by the internal affairs agencies, according to the police officer. Representatives from all agencies actively participate in the search for people lost in natural environments: employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, emergency rescue formations, police, volunteers, and other volunteers. However, to prevent such cases from occurring, the speakers at the event urged citizens to take forest walks more responsibly. Recommendations were also made to the relatives of elderly people suffering from memory loss. They were advised to equip elderly individuals with bracelets containing GPS trackers or to place notes with contact information in their pockets, which should be communicated in case these individuals become disoriented. During the press conference, the speakers answered journalists' questions and called on citizens with an active civic position to join the ranks of Nizhny Novgorod volunteers, who, alongside law enforcement agencies, perform a very important mission aimed at saving lives and health. Press Service of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for the Nizhny Novgorod Region Tel.: 268-54-05

      More news about the event:

      More than 1,600 people went missing in the Nizhny Novgorod region this year

      In the Nizhny Novgorod region, 1,639 reports of missing persons were received in four months. 19:01 26.05.2026 Nizhny Novgorod Truth - Nizhny Novgorod

      More than 1,600 people have gone missing in the Nizhny Novgorod region since the beginning of the year

      From January to April 2026, the police in the Nizhny Novgorod region received more than 1,600 reports of missing persons, 270 of which concerned missing children. 16:55 26.05.2026 vGorodeN.Ru - Nizhny Novgorod

      Over 1,500 missing citizens have been found shortly after their disappearance in the region in 2026

      At a press event dedicated to International Missing Children's Day, held at the Nizhny Novgorod Regional Information Center in Nizhny Novgorod, 16:30 26.05.2026 Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Nizhny Novgorod Region - Nizhny Novgorod

      News from neighboring regions on the topic:

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      A resident of the Belaya Kholunitsa district thanked the police for searching for her missing elderly relative. 13:12 26.05.2026 Newsler.Ru - Kirov

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      Photo: IA Tula Press In the Tula region, 169 children went missing in 2025. On May 5, International Missing Children's Day, the "Lisa Alert" team in the Tula region conducts preventive activities, 19:15 24.05.2026 IA Tula Press.Ru - Tula