Over 1,500 missing citizens have been located 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, the Deputy Head of the 8th Department of the Criminal Investigation Department 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 orient themselves in a difficult situation, such cases require maximum 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 the course of just four months in 2026, the police in the region received more than 1,600 reports of missing persons, 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 placed on the federal wanted list and were subsequently found. Within 10 days from the moment of filing the relevant report with the police without opening a missing persons case, the police established the whereabouts of more than 1,500 people. Also, this year, 61 citizens have been placed on the federal wanted list, 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 years. 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 place of disappearance, or the availability of information about the missing person's residence or whereabouts. There is no need to wait several days to make such a report to law enforcement. As soon as it is understood that a person is missing and needs help, it is important to immediately contact the duty unit of the nearest police department in person or by phone, providing a description of the missing person. This can also be done by calling the single 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 the citizen who has lost contact with their loved ones. They also shared specific examples of the process of interaction between the police and volunteers in organizing and conducting search activities. In anticipation of the summer season, when citizens go to the forest for recreation, mushroom picking, and berry gathering, 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 beneficial to download any navigation app to your phone before heading into nature, which can help in case of losing orientation 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 will 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 number "112." The connection with an operator, who will orient 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 location of the lost person. Difficulties with this approach arise only for owners of button mobile phones and if the lost person's phone is dead," said the 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 leave 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 police. 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 community members. However, to prevent such cases from occurring, the speakers at the event urged citizens to take a more responsible approach to forest walks. Recommendations were also made to 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 this category of citizens becomes disoriented in space. 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, carry out a very important mission aimed at saving lives and health. Press Service 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 have gone missing in the Nizhny Novgorod region this year. In the Nizhny Novgorod region, 1,639 reports of missing persons have been 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 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 Ministry of Internal Affairs of Nizhny Novgorod Region - Nizhny Novgorod

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