Ukrainians rally in Rome and Istanbul to support POWs and missing persons
Italy
As noted in the post, the Ukrainian community in Rome held a solemn march to mark Independence Day. The event was organized by the Christian Association of Ukrainians in Italy and the Embassy of Ukraine in Italy.
The event began with a memorial service for fallen Ukrainian soldiers. After that, those present honored the memory of the fallen with a minute of silence.
Ukraine's ambassador to Italy thanked the country for its support and called for continued assistance, including in defending against ballistic missiles. Italian parliamentarians also spoke about the need to continue supporting Kyiv.
European Parliament Vice President Pina Picierno addressed the participants by phone. She stressed the need to protect Ukrainian skies from Russian missiles. The ambassadors of Canada, Ireland, and Austria also spoke.
A representative of the families of missing and captured defenders called for stronger pressure on Russia to secure the release of Ukrainian service members and force the aggressor state to comply with the Geneva Convention.
The column marched through the central streets of Rome with blue-and-yellow flags. Participants held posters calling for an end to Russian aggression and for prisoners to be brought home.
Türkiye
A separate rally took place in Istanbul. Families of missing and captured service members from 15 units of Ukraine's Defense Forces joined the event.
Participants took to the streets of the Turkish city with Ukrainian flags, the symbols of their units, and photographs of their relatives. The main purpose of the rally was to draw attention to soldiers whose whereabouts remain unknown, as well as to those whose captivity Russia has not officially confirmed.
Representatives of the families met with the Consul General of Ukraine in Istanbul. The sides discussed the possibility of using Türkiye's diplomatic and humanitarian mechanisms to bring Ukrainians back from Russian captivity.
The families and Ukrainian diplomats also discussed the possibility of securing access for international organizations to places where Ukrainian prisoners are held and increasing international pressure on Russia to comply with international humanitarian law.
Background
As Rubryka reported, on Independence Day, Ukraine brought back another 10 service members from Belarus. All of them had previously been considered missing.
Also, on August 19, Ukraine carried out another prisoner exchange and brought back 103 service members from Russian captivity. Among those released were fighters with injuries and serious illnesses.
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25 of August 2026
