Russia has transferred the remains of 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers, including five who reportedly died while in captivity, according to Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.
In return, Ukraine handed over the bodies of 19 Russian servicemen, a Russian official confirmed.
Since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, tens of thousands of troops from both sides are believed to have been killed. However, neither Kyiv nor Moscow regularly discloses casualty figures.
Despite the ongoing war, the repatriation of fallen soldiers and prisoner exchanges remain one of the few areas of cooperation. Recently, these efforts have been stepped up during negotiations held in Istanbul.
“According to the Russian side, 1,000 bodies belonging to Ukrainian military personnel have been returned to Ukraine,” Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters announced on Telegram.
“Unfortunately, among those repatriated are the bodies of five Ukrainian servicemen who died in captivity,” it added, noting that Ukrainian authorities have begun the process of identification.
Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinsky stated the exchange was conducted “in accordance with agreements reached between the two sides in Istanbul.”
Kyiv had earlier claimed that both nations had agreed to an arrangement involving the exchange of 6,000 fallen soldiers. Moscow, however, has consistently described the repatriations as a unilateral move to return Ukrainian bodies.
