Kyiv repatriates 1,000 bodies that Russia claims are fallen Ukrainian soldiers
Ukraine said on Oct. 23 that it has received 1,000 bodies from Russia, which Moscow says are fallen Ukrainian soldiers.
"In the near future, investigators from law enforcement agencies and Interior Ministry experts will carry out all the necessary examinations to identify the repatriated bodies," Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War (POW) said.
Russia has received 31 bodies from Ukraine, according to the Russian Telegram channel Astra.
The repatriation follows several such operations carried out in recent months.
Agreements on the return of fallen soldiers and exchanges of POWs were one of the few tangible results of the Russian-Ukrainian peace talks in Istanbul between May and July.
The latest operation was carried out jointly by the Coordination Headquarters, the Armed Forces, the Security Service of Ukraine, the Interior Ministry, the Ombudsman's office, and other bodies, with the support of the Red Cross.
According to Ukraine, Russia has repeatedly attempted to hand over bodies of its own killed soldiers passed off as Ukrainians, attempting to hide the scale of its losses from the Russian public.
The largest exchange of fallen soldiers followed the second round of Istanbul peace talks on June 2. Ukraine received a total of 6,057 bodies of its fallen soldiers as part of the phased exchange.
Russia, according to Kremlin aide and negotiator Vladimir Medinsky, took back 78. Kyiv does not usually disclose the number of killed Russian soldiers it hands over to Russia.
Yuliia Taradiuk
