Ukrainian servicemen carry the coffin of Andrii Veremiienko, who was killed fighting Russian troops in the Donetsk region, during a funeral ceremony in Kyiv on Aug. 17, 2023, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (ROMAN PILIPEY/AFP via Getty Images)
The bodies of 84 fallen Ukrainian defenders were returned from Russian-occupied territories, the Reintegration Ministry reported on Aug. 29.
The ministry carried out the transfer with the Office of the Commissioner for Missing Persons, Ukrainian law enforcement, and international organizations.
The Geneva Conventions dictate that people who lost their lives during war are entitled to a dignified burial.
After identification, the bodies of the fallen soldiers will be handed over to their relatives for the funeral.
In the previous transfer, 44 bodies of fallen soldiers were returned home to their families and loved ones on Aug. 4.
"There are visions of the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine — and we don't have a unified view on Donbas," Zelensky told Bloomberg regarding the latest discussions on the peace plan for Ukraine.
The list includes Denys Shmyhal, Ukraine's defense minister and previously the longest-serving prime minister, Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov, Deputy Presidential Office head and ex-commander Pavlo Palisa, and Sergiy Kyslytsya, the first deputy foreign minister and one of Ukraine's key negotiators.
Ukraine will focus on strengthening its army through better mobilization, recruitment, and high-quality training as it continues to resist Russia’s full-scale invasion, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Dec. 8, following a recent meeting with military personnel.
While hailing "significant progress" in peace efforts, U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matt Whitaker acknowledged that Trump could decide to "step away" if he sees there is "no deal to be had."
Within this program, 300 million euros ($350 million) will fund a dedicated Ukraine Support Instrument that focuses on modernizing Ukraine's defense industry and integrating it into the EU's broader defense-manufacturing network.
The Air Force did not specify what mission the pilot was carrying out when the death occurred. The circumstances of the pilot's death are being investigated.
The Dec. 5 attack sparked a large fire at the Temryuk Seaport, a facility that handles various types of cargo, including liquefied natural gas used to supply the Russian military.
Asami Terajima
