In accordance with agreements reached in Istanbul, Russia and Ukraine have carried out an exchange of the remains of fallen soldiers, officials from both countries confirmed today.
According to Russian State Duma deputy Shamsail Saraliev, the exchange involved 31 Russian soldiers for 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers.
“A 31-for-1,000 exchange took place. Thirty-one bodies of the fallen were returned to Russia,” Saraliev said.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War announced that Russia handed over 1,000 bodies to Ukraine, believed to belong to Ukrainian servicemen.
Following the repatriation, investigators and forensic experts from Ukraine’s Ministry of Internal Affairs will conduct examinations and identification procedures on the returned remains, Reuters reported.
The Coordination Headquarters expressed gratitude to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for its assistance and emphasized the importance of ensuring the safe transfer and proper handling of the remains by forensic and investigative authorities.
