Father of Canadian volunteer killed in Ukraine launches international support group for war families
Marc Mazerolle's International League of POW/MIA Families aims to coordinate support for families of missing and killed soldiers from around the world.
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A Canadian whose son was killed on the front lines of the Ukraine war is now working to help families of missing and captured soldiers get answers.
Marc Mazerolle, who lives in New Brunswick, launched the International League of POW/MIA Families of the War in Ukraine after his 24-year-old son Patrick died as a volunteer soldier with Ukraine's International Legion. The new organization aims to establish a central body responsible for helping families around the world navigate the uncertainty of having a loved one missing or killed in the conflict.
"Behind every prisoner of war, behind every missing soldier, there is an entire family living with uncertainty, fear and unanswered questions," Mazerolle said. "Our mission is simple: to support families, advocate for the truth, to encourage transparency, defend humanity, dignity and to ensure no family has to walk this difficult journey alone."
The organization has three main goals: keep the cause of Ukraine war POWs and MIAs alive so their stories are never forgotten; unite global family associations and support groups to share information and build strong partnerships; and provide families with immediate guidance, reliable resources, and compassionate support.
Mazerolle said he is currently assisting around 40 families from all over the world, including Canada, France, Finland, Australia, and Czechia. "I'm talking to new families every week," he said. "They're paralyzed. They don't know where to go, they don't know where to turn."
According to Mazerolle, there are between 70,000 and 90,000 people from the Ukrainian International Legion missing in Ukraine. He says 27 Canadians have died based on his own research and information from Ukrainian agencies.
The league's lawyer, Taras Kulish, said one of the major roadblocks for families is that the Ukrainian government is not able to provide the help international families need to get information about their loved ones. "A goal of the league is to encourage other governments and international organizations to assist Ukraine so that Ukraine doesn't bear the sole burden," he said. The league hopes to open an office in Kyiv.
