Ukraine retrieved the bodies of 94 fallen Ukrainian soldiers from Russian-occupied territories on Nov. 20, the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of the Prisoners of War reported.
In exchange, Ukraine transferred the remains of an undisclosed number of Russian soldiers killed in combat to the Russian side, the headquarters said.
The bodies of Ukrainian soldiers will be transported to specialized state institutions for forensic examination and identification. Afterward, they will be handed over to their relatives for the funeral.
The Geneva Conventions dictate that people who lost their lives during war are entitled to a dignified burial.
The bodies of around 2,000 soldiers have been repatriated to Ukraine in the last two years, according to the Headquarters. In the previous transfer on Oct. 27, Ukraine managed to retrieve the bodies of 50 fallen defenders.
Ukraine has not disclosed how many soldiers were killed in Russia’s full-scale invasion. Former Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said in July last year that this information would remain secret until the end of martial law.
“This is information that the enemy should not know because military specialists can draw many conclusions from this data and use it for analysis and planning,” Maliar said on Facebook.
Asami Terajima
(Updated: )
