Ukraine Receives Over 1,200 Fallen Soldiers From Russia

Ukraine has received the remains of another 1,200 fallen soldiers from Russia, Ukrainian authorities confirmed on Friday, marking the second such handover this week.

The exchange was facilitated by the International Red Cross, according to Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.

Earlier in the week, Ukraine had received 1,212 bodies of its soldiers and, in return, transferred 27 bodies of Russian personnel back to Moscow.

The repatriation of remains follows direct negotiations between Ukrainian and Russian officials in Istanbul earlier this month, where both sides agreed on the return of more than 6,000 fallen Ukrainian soldiers. The initial phase of the exchange was expected last weekend but was delayed due to coordination challenges between the two nations.

Friday’s handover came amid fresh Russian drone attacks overnight. Ukraine’s Air Force reported that combat drones targeted regions around Sumy and Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, prompting air raid alerts across the area.

Ukraine has been fending off Russia’s full-scale invasion for more than three years, with ongoing combat operations and a heavy human toll on both sides.

(/NAN)