Finding veterans using old photographs is a task that brings together historians, relatives and volunteers. Often the only clue is a yellowed photograph with or without a vague signature. In the digital age, the chances of success have increased significantly: from specialized databases to neural networks capable of analyzing faces.

This article will help you understand how to find a veteran by photo - be it a participant in the Great Patriotic War, the Afghan War, the Chechen campaigns or local conflicts. We will look at official archives, volunteer projects, facial recognition methods and the nuances of working with blurred images. We will pay special attention legal aspects search and ethics of communication with found people or their relatives.

1. Photo preparation: how to improve the quality before searching

The first step is to get the image into a state suitable for analysis. Even if a photograph is poorly preserved, modern tools make it possible to restore details. Start with digitization: scan the original at resolution 600 dpi or take a photo with your smartphone in good lighting (no glare!).

To improve quality use:

  • 🔍 Remini — a mobile application with a neural network for facial restoration (free version is limited to 5 treatments per day)
  • 🖼️ Topaz Gigapixel AI — a plugin for Photoshop that increases resolution without losing detail (suitable for heavily damaged images)
  • 🌐 Let's Enhance — online service for image upscaling (free up to 5 photos per month)
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If there are inscriptions on the photo (dates, names, names of parts), try to decipher them using the service PhotoScan from Google - it automatically removes glare and improves text readability.

After processing, save the photo in PNG - it preserves details better than JPEG. If there are several people in the photo, select the desired person in a separate file using the tool Trimming in any graphics editor.

⚠️ Attention: Don't use filters that distort facial features (like Instagram's "pretty" effects). This will make it difficult to recognize in databases.

2. Search through official archives: where to look for data on veterans

Russian and foreign archives contain millions of records about war participants. Most of them are digitized and available online. Start with these resources:

Archive What it contains Link Features
OBD "Memorial" Data on the dead and missing in WWII obd-memorial.ru Search by full name, date of birth, military unit. There are scans of documents
"Feat of the people" Award sheets and documents on military awards pamyat-naroda.ru Can be found by award number or full name
TsAMO RF Archive of the Ministry of Defense (personal files, orders) camo.mil.ru A search request can be submitted online and a response will be sent by mail.
US Holocaust Memorial Museum Documents about Holocaust victims and concentration camp prisoners ushmm.org There is a database with photographs and evidence

If a military unit or insignia is visible in the photo, use it to narrow your search. For example, the number of a division or regiment can be checked in reference book "Composition of the Armed Forces of the USSR" (available on the website sovarmy.ru).

How to Read Military Abbreviations in Photos

In photographs there are often abbreviations like 1 Ukr.F (1st Ukrainian Front) or 3rd Guards TA (3rd Guards Tank Army). A complete list of transcripts can be found in the book "Handbook of the History of the Armed Forces of the USSR" (1978) or on forums of military historians, for example, on Axis History Forum (section "Soviet Armed Forces").

For participants in local conflicts (Afghanistan, Chechnya) the following are useful:

  • 📄 Database "Afghan War 1979-1989" on the website afgan.ru
  • 🏛️ Archive Joint group of troops in Chechnya (requests via chechnya.fsb.ru)

3. Search by face: neural networks and specialized services

If the archives do not produce results, try to find a veteran from a photograph using facial recognition technology. These methods are especially effective for finding living people or their relatives.

Basic tools:

  • 🤖 FindClone — Russian service for searching people by photos on social networks (works with VKontakte, Odnoklassniki, Telegram)
  • 🌍 PimEyes — international database for searching for persons (paid, but there is a trial period)
  • 🔎 Yandex.Images - upload photos to image search, sometimes it finds copies with captions
  • 🤝 FaceCheck.ID - searches for profiles on TikTok, Instagram and other platforms
📊 Which search method have you tried before?
  • Archives
  • Search by face
  • Social networks
  • None of the above

Algorithm of actions:

  1. Upload your processed photo to FindClone or PimEyes.
  2. Filter your results by age (keep in mind that the veteran in the photo could be 20-30 years younger).
  3. Check the profiles found for similar names, places of service, or other details from the photo.
⚠️ Attention: Neural networks often make mistakes with older people due to changes in appearance. If the service gives out a young man, check his relatives - perhaps he is the grandson or great-grandson of a veteran.

An important nuance: in Russia it is prohibited to use foreign facial recognition services to search for Russian citizens without their consent (FZ-152 “On Personal Data”). The exception is archival photographs of people who died more than 70 years ago.

4. Volunteer projects: who will help in the search for free

If your independent search does not bring results, contact volunteers. There are dozens of projects in Russia that specialize in searching for veterans and missing persons.

Key organizations:

  • 🕊️ "Search movement in Russia" — coordinates search teams throughout the country (search.rf)
  • 📜 "Returned Names" - a project to perpetuate the memory of those killed in the Second World War (names.memorial-de.ru)
  • 🤝 "We remember" — database of veterans of Afghanistan and Chechnya (mypomnim.ru)
  • 🌐 "Together We Served" - an international project to search for NATO and Warsaw Pact veterans

How to correctly write a request to volunteers:

  1. Attach the processed photo in maximum resolution.
  2. Indicate all known details: approximate age in the photo, possible military unit, place of service.
  3. Describe the purpose of the search (for example, “I want to give an award to relatives”).
  4. Check if you are willing to pay for archival requests (some documents are paid).

Processed photo in PNG

Known names or nicknames

Approximate year of service

Names of units or units (if any)

Contact phone/email for feedback-->

Response times vary from a week to several months, depending on the workload of the project. For example, "Search movement in Russia" processes up to 500 requests per month, so priority is given to relatives of the deceased.

5. Social networks: how to search for veterans and their relatives

Social media is a powerful tool for finding living veterans or their families. Start with VKontakte And Odnoklassniki: Many older people or their children/grandchildren maintain profiles there.

Effective search strategies:

  • 🔍 Use advanced search by age (indicate year of birth ±5 years).
  • 📍 Search by place of service: for example, if a veteran served in 10th Guards Army, check out the groups “Veterans of the 10th Guards A” or “Memory of the 10th Guards”.
  • 👥 Browse friends of friends found namesakes - relatives are often connected on social networks.
  • 📌 Publish a post with a photo in thematic communities (for example, “Search for WWII veterans” or “Afghans are brothers forever”).

Example text for publication:



Ищу информацию о ветеране с этой фотографии (приблизительно 1943 год, возможно 1-я гвардейская танковая бригада).


На реверсе надпись: "Дорогой Маше на память. Вася".


Если кто-то узнаёт этого человека или его родственников — прошу написать в личные сообщения.


Готов предоставить дополнительные данные.
⚠️ Attention: There are many scammers on social networks who, under the guise of relatives, ask for money for “archival data.” Never transfer funds before a personal meeting or confirmation of information through official archives.

To search abroad use:

  • 🇺🇸 Facebook - groups like "WW2 Veterans" or "Soviet War Veterans"
  • 🇩🇪 Studienkreis Deutscher Widerstand 1933–1945 - to search for concentration camp prisoners
  • 🇮🇱 Yad Vashem — database of Holocaust victims (yadvashem.org)

6. Alternative methods: genealogy, DNA tests and local archives

If digital methods don't work, try traditional approaches. Genealogical research often helps locate veterans through their family connections.

Where to look:

  • 📖 Civil registry offices — request birth records at your place of birth (via zagss.ru)
  • 🏠 Local history museums - often store personal archives of veterans
  • 🧬 DNA genealogy - services like MyHeritage DNA or 23andMe help find distant relatives
  • 📰 Newspaper archives - on the website staratel.com you can find publications from the 1940s to the 1990s

An example of a successful DNA search:

In 2021, a resident of Novosibirsk found her grandfather’s cousin, a WWII veteran, through a test MyHeritage. Their DNA matched 12%, which corresponds to a "great uncle/nephew" relationship. The man lived in Belarus and did not even know about the existence of relatives in Russia.

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DNA tests are effective in finding relatives of veterans, but do not provide direct information about military service. It is better to combine them with archival data.

To search in small cities:

  1. Contact local military registration and enlistment office — they can provide information about the call.
  2. Visit library — books of memory of the region are often kept there.
  3. Contact settlement administration — they may know veterans personally.

7. Ethical and legal aspects of searching for veterans

Searching for veterans is a sensitive matter that requires compliance with ethics and the law. Here are the key rules:

What you can do:

  • ✅ Publish photos from open archives indicating the source.
  • ✅ Contact relatives through social networks if the goal is to transfer awards or information.
  • ✅ Use data from open registers (for example, Memorial OBD).

What is prohibited:

  • ❌ Disseminate personal data of living veterans without their consent (Article 13.11 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation).
  • ❌ Demand money for the search (volunteer assistance should be free).
  • ❌ Post photographs with signs of violence or torture (violation of Article 242 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).

If you find a veteran or his relatives:

  1. Introduce yourself and explain the purpose of your request.
  2. Do not insist on a meeting if the person is not ready to communicate.
  3. Respect the family's wishes not to disclose certain details (for example, the circumstances of the death).
⚠️ Attention: In Russia there is a law “On Veterans” (FZ-5), which protects the personal data of war participants. For disclosing information without the consent of a veteran or his family, a fine of up to 50,000 rubles is provided.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about searching for veterans by photo

Is it possible to find a veteran from a photograph if there are several people in it?

Yes, but the chances are lower. First, try to identify the military unit by insignia or inscriptions on the uniform. Then look for information about the unit in the archives (for example, on "Feat of the people"). If you can find out the part number, narrow your search to specific people.

For facial recognition, use services like FindClone, loading one face at a time. Pay attention to the details: who stands in the center (usually commanders), who is younger in age (rank and file).

How long does it take to search for a veteran in the archives?

The timing depends on the type of archive:

  • 📄 OBD "Memorial" — response within 1-3 days (search independently).
  • 🏛️ TsAMO RF — from 30 days to 3 months (the request is processed by archivists).
  • 🌍 Foreign archives (for example, US National Archives) - up to 6 months.

A clear request with the maximum amount of data (full name, date of birth, military unit) helps speed up the process.

What to do if there is no signature or military unit on the photo?

In this case, analyze the visual details:

  1. 🎖️ Award bars - from them you can determine in which battles the veteran participated.
  2. 🪖 Uniform and insignia - the color of the buttonholes, shoulder straps, and headdress will indicate the type of military service.
  3. 📅 Background and props - equipment, weapons or landscape can indicate the period (for example, T-34 tank - WWII, BMP-1 - Afghanistan).

With this data, contact the forums of military historians, for example, Warthunder (section "Real technology") or Axis History Forum.

Is it possible to find a veteran if he served in special forces (GRU, alpha, etc.)?

The search is complicated due to the classification of secrecy. Official archives (for example, TsAMO) do not provide data on special forces without permission from the FSB. Alternative ways:

  • 🕵️‍♂️ Contact "Union of Unit Veterans" (for example, "Alpha Veterans Union").
  • 📖 Look for memoirs - many commandos publish books (for example, "Alpha: Right to Shoot" A. Lyakhovsky).
  • 🤫 Use oral sources - on veterans forums (for example, specnaz.ru) you can find those who served together.

Important: never mention in open sources that you are looking for a special forces veteran - this may attract the attention of security services.

How to check if those who responded to the search are scammers?

Signs of fraud:

  • 💰 They ask to transfer money “for archival data” or “search services”.
  • 📄 They send scans of documents with watermarks (often fake).
  • 🕒 They are in a hurry to make a decision (“you need to pay urgently, otherwise the data will be deleted”).
  • 🔗 They ask you to follow dubious links (for example, to fake archive sites).

How to check:

  1. Ask to send specific data (for example, award certificate number), which can be double-checked in open archives.
  2. Contact the archive administration directly (contacts are on the official websites).
  3. Publish information about the “found” veteran in thematic groups - scammers are often exposed.