Ukraine retrieves bodies of 100 fallen soldiers
Ukraine has repatriated the bodies of 100 soldiers who died fighting against Russia’s full-scale invasion, the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of the Prisoners of War reported on March 15.
“After identification, the bodies of our defenders will be handed over to their families for a dignified burial,” the headquarters wrote in a post on Telegram.
The effort to retrieve the fallen soldiers was conducted in collaboration with several government and military agencies, including the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the Interior Ministry, the State Emergency Service, and the Armed Forces.
The headquarters also thanked the International Committee of the Red Cross for their assistance.
The Geneva Conventions dictate that people who lost their lives during war are entitled to a dignified burial.
Some 2,100 soldiers have been repatriated to Ukraine in the last two years.
In a previous transfer on Feb. 16, the headquarters reported that the bodies of 58 fallen Ukrainian soldiers had been returned for burial.
Kyiv has only recently released information about the total number of Ukrainian soldiers killed during the full-scale invasion, with President Volodymyr Zelensky last month saying the number was around 31,000.
"Each person is a very big loss for us. 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers died in this war," the president said. "It is very painful for us."
