The Documentary Podcast Ukraine: The war behind the war
Mar 9, 2026
Major Serhiy Lazuk, a Territorial Recruitment Centre officer who delivers sealed notifications to families in Lviv, recounts the heavy emotional toll of his work. He describes going house to house with news of killed or missing soldiers. The conversation covers family reactions, mobilisation patrols, men hiding to avoid conscription, and the long, uncertain aftermath of loss.
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Delivering Death Notices By Hand
- Major Serhiy Lazuk delivers sealed death notices in person to families across Lviv, often three or four times a day.
- He waits at apartment doors, sits with grieving relatives, accompanies them to mortuaries and funerals, and sometimes stays in touch for weeks to help with identification and support.
Normal City Hiding Heavy Casualty Toll
- Lviv appears normal but is strained: tens of thousands of soldiers are missing, killed, or held in occupied territories, creating deep community fear.
- Families dread knock-at-door notifications and many lives are altered by perpetual absence rather than battlefield ruins.
Deliver Death Notices In Person
- Deliver notifications face to face and avoid phone-only communication for death confirmations.
- Major Serhiy Lazuk says sealed letters and in-person meetings allow families dignity, identification, and follow-up support at mortuaries and funerals.