Russia Hands Over 1,000 Bodies of Ukrainian Soldiers Under Istanbul Agreements

Russia transferred one thousand bodies of Ukrainian servicemen, according to Ukraine’s coordination headquarters. The information was confirmed by a representative of the parliamentary coordination group on military operations, State Duma deputy Shamsail Saraliev, who stated that Russia also received the bodies of thirty fallen soldiers.

Kyiv Begins Identification and Forensic Examinations

Authorities in Kyiv announced that Ukrainian law enforcement and expert institutions of the Interior Ministry will conduct examinations and identification of the remains. Officials emphasized that these procedures form part of the standard process following every large-scale transfer.

The agreements on exchanges, including prisoners of war and severely wounded servicemen, were reached during the Istanbul negotiations held in early summer. To date, Ukraine has received the remains of at least nine thousand fallen members of its armed forces.

Previous Exchanges and Resolved Disputes Between the Parties

The previous body exchange took place on October 23, when Ukraine received the remains of one thousand soldiers and Russia obtained thirty-one bodies. In June, Russia accused Ukraine of refusing to return its fallen, while Kyiv explained that the lists provided by Moscow did not match the agreed procedure. Both sides later resolved the dispute and resumed coordinated exchanges.