Ukraine has announced the repatriation of 563 soldiers' bodies from Russian authorities, marking one of the largest exchanges of military remains since the war began in 2022. The bodies, mainly of troops who died in combat in the eastern Donetsk region, were returned through a coordinated effort between the two countries.
The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War confirmed the exchange on social media, stating that 320 bodies were brought back from the Donetsk area, with 89 of the soldiers having fallen near Bakhmut. Bakhmut, a town captured by Russian forces in May 2023 after an intense and prolonged battle, has been a significant focus of the conflict. Additionally, another 154 bodies were returned from morgues in Russia, highlighting the heavy toll the ongoing war has taken on both sides.
This exchange of bodies is a rare example of cooperation between Kyiv and Moscow amid a conflict marked by intense hostility. However, neither Russia nor Ukraine has provided official figures on the total number of military casualties since the war's inception. The repatriation of fallen soldiers reflects the enduring human cost of the conflict and the ongoing efforts to return those who perished in combat to their homeland, despite the overarching political and military tensions.
