Russia, Ukraine exchange bodies of Soldiers killed in War

Russia and Ukraine exchanged the bodies of soldiers killed in the ongoing war on Thursday, in one of the few areas where the two sides continue to cooperate despite the prolonged conflict.

Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War said 261 bodies had been returned to the country.

“The bodies of 261 deceased persons have been returned to Ukraine, which, according to the Russian side, belong to Ukrainian servicemen,” the agency said in a statement.

Kyiv has previously accused Russia of including the remains of civilians and Russian soldiers in such exchanges, although Moscow has disputed the claims.

Russian media outlet RBC, citing a Russian lawmaker, reported that Moscow also received 24 bodies from Ukraine as part of the exchange.

The latest transfer comes amid continued hostilities between the two countries, with the exchange of fallen soldiers’ remains and prisoners of war remaining among the few areas in which Moscow and Kyiv maintain direct communication.

The latest development underscores the limited humanitarian cooperation that has persisted between the two sides more than four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.