In a significant humanitarian operation, Russia and Ukraine have conducted another exchange of fallen soldiers’ remains, with Moscow transferring 1,000 bodies of Ukrainian military personnel to Kyiv, while receiving 19 bodies of Russian soldiers in return.
The exchange, confirmed by both sides on Tuesday, marks a continuation of efforts outlined in earlier agreements reached in July during negotiations in Istanbul.
“In accordance with the Istanbul agreements, today we transferred 1,000 bodies of AFU [Armed Forces of Ukraine] soldiers to the Ukrainian side. We received 19 in return,” Vladimir Medinsky, Assistant to the President of Russia and head of the Russian negotiation team, stated on Tuesday.
The repatriation follows a pattern observed in previous exchanges. This repatriation follows a pattern observed in previous exchanges. In mid-June, following the initial Istanbul talks, Russia transferred over 6,000 bodies of Ukrainian soldiers to Kyiv, whereas Ukraine returned 78 Russian servicemen’s remains.
By 23 July, the total number of Ukrainian bodies repatriated by Russia exceeded 7,000. The most recent prior exchange, on 17 July, similarly involved 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers’ bodies for 19 Russian ones.
The ongoing process, mediated by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), remains fraught with tensions. Moscow accuses Kyiv of refusing to accept 1,000 of its prisoners in a separate planned swap earlier this month.
Despite political friction, both sides continue to engage in repatriations, underscoring a fragile commitment to humanitarian cooperation amid relentless conflict.
