Ukrainian coordination center for prisoner warfare on Friday announced that Ukraine was returned to the bodies of 909 Ukrainian soldiers fallen in the war unleashed by Russia. It is one of the largest transfers of body remains of soldiers since the beginning of the Russian invasion in February 2022. Sky News reported this, TASR said.
Fallen soldiers worked in various frontal areas, eg. Around the locations of Kurachov, Pokrovsk, Bachmut and Vuhledar lying in the Donetsk region, as well as in Luhanská, Zaporožská, Sumská and Kharkov region – In the regions where the most intense struggles between the Ukrainian and Russian army have been taking place in recent months.
Part of the bodies was also returned from the morgue in the Russian Federation, It is stated in the official statement published via the telegram. Sky News notes that This step is the result of long -term and demanding negotiations among the opposing parties, Usually mediated through international humanitarian organizations such as the Red Cross.
The Ukrainian authorities stressed that the return of bodies is not only an act of respect for the fallen, but also an important part of the moral and social renewal of Ukraine, which is facing continued Russian aggression. Meanwhile, at the Russian-Ukrainian negotiations in Istanbul-the first direct after more than three years-there was an agreement on Friday to exchange prisoners of war according to the formula of 1000 per 1000.
This information was confirmed by the head of the Ukrainian delegation at negotiations in Istanbul, Minister of Defense Rusto UMER. He did not state the specific date of the exchange, but noted that it is already set. This agreement was also confirmed by the head of the Russian delegation Vladimir Medinsky.
This exchange of prisoners is one of the biggest since the beginning of the war and at the same time It shows that despite the continued struggles, Moscow and Kiev maintain a certain communication channel – especially on humanitarian issues such as prisoners’ exchange. The last exchange of prisoners took place on 6 May, when the enemy parties exchanged after 205 prisoners.
In 2024, Ukraine proposed an exchange of “all for all”, but Moscow refused this initiative. The number of Ukrainian war prisoners detained in Russia is not publicly known.
