Ukraine Repatriates 1,000 War Dead as Identification Process Begins

Authorities and forensic experts will now work to identify the deceased. Make us preferred on Google Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied (Photo by Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War ) Content Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Flip Make us preferred on Google Ukraine has repatriated 1,000 bodies of those killed in the war , which may include Ukrainian defenders, officials said on Thursday, April 9. “Today, repatriation measures were carried out as part of which 1,000 bodies (remains) of the deceased were returned to Ukraine. According to the Russian side, these remains belong to Ukrainian defenders who were killed,” the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War said in a statement on social media. Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official . The operation involved several Ukrainian agencies, including the Armed Forces , the Security Service, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and human rights offices. Ukraine also thanked the International Committee of the Red Cross for its support. Armed Forces units coordinated transportation, transfers to law enforcement and medical examiners, and overall logistics. Authorities and forensic experts will now work to identify the deceased. “After their identification, the bodies will be returned to their families for a dignified burial,” the statement added. The previous repatriation took place on Feb. 26 . Exchanges of prisoners and the return of bodies have continued intermittently between Ukraine and Russia despite the lack of broader progress toward ending the war. According to publicly available data, Ukraine has received around 18,000 bodies from Russia since the start of the full-scale invasion. During earlier talks in Istanbul, Ukraine and Russia agreed to repatriate fallen soldiers on a “6,000 for 6,000” basis. Other Topics of Interest 'We Continue to Break Enemy’s Backbone': Syrsky Says Drones Drive Ukraine’s Frontline Advantage Ukraine’s top commander says drone units are inflicting record losses on Russian forces, helping Kyiv retain the strategic initiative and block a major offensive. The first exchange under this arrangement took place on June 11, when 1,212 bodies of Ukrainian soldiers killed in the east and south of the country, as well as in Russia’s Kursk region, were returned. This was followed by the return of 1,200 bodies on June 13, another 1,200 on June 14, and 1,000 on Aug. 19. Ukraine’s Ministry of Internal Affairs has said Russia often deliberately complicates the identification process by transferring severely damaged remains, which have at times included the bodies of Russian troops. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization since 1995. Its international market reach of 97% outside of Ukraine makes it truly Ukraine’s Global – and most reliable – Voice.