Kyiv Says 1,245 Bodies Returned to Ukraine From Russia in Major War Casualty Exchange

KYIV – In a rare moment of cooperation amid a devastating war, Kyiv says 1,245 bodies returned to Ukraine from Russia as part of the final phase of a large-scale agreement to repatriate fallen soldiers. This transfer marks the completion of a high-profile deal brokered during peace talks in Istanbul earlier this month.

The agreement, which includes both prisoner exchanges and the repatriation of war casualties, is the only tangible outcome from two rounds of direct negotiations held between Russia and Ukraine in Turkey. Despite ongoing hostilities, both sides were able to find common ground on the deeply humanitarian issue of recovering and identifying those killed in the conflict.

Ukraine’s government agency in charge of repatriations confirmed the receipt of 1,245 bodies in the latest stage of the deal, noting that this final transfer brings the total number of Ukrainian soldiers’ remains returned to over 6,000 in the past week.

Kyiv Confirms Completion of Repatriation Efforts

“Another 1,245 bodies returned to Ukraine from Russia — the repatriation component of the Istanbul agreements has been completed,” read a statement from the Ukrainian Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.

Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov also took to Facebook to express gratitude to the international mediators and the operational teams involved.

“This is a painful but essential process. Over 6,000 Ukrainian heroes have now been returned home to be buried with honor,” Umerov wrote.

While Russia’s defense ministry reported a slightly different number — claiming 1,248 bodies had been returned in the final transfer — the discrepancy of three was not officially addressed by either side. Moscow, for its part, stated that it had fully met its obligations under the agreement and emphasized its willingness to continue the process beyond the scope of the Istanbul deal.

In an unexpected announcement, Russia said it was prepared to hand over another 2,239 bodies of fallen Ukrainian servicemen, beyond what was initially agreed in Istanbul. This proposal was described as a unilateral gesture, though Kyiv has yet to respond formally.

Moscow also confirmed the receipt of 51 bodies of Russian soldiers during this phase, bringing the total number of Russian soldiers’ remains returned by Ukraine to 78 since the latest exchanges began. However, Ukraine had initially framed the entire process as a mutual exchange involving 6,000 Ukrainian soldiers, while Russia has continued to portray its actions as unilateral and humanitarian in nature.

Kyiv- As the war stretches into its third year, the human toll remains staggering. Independent monitoring organizations and Western intelligence sources estimate that tens of thousands of soldiers have died on both sides since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Official casualty numbers are not consistently released by either country. Instead, both Russia and Ukraine frequently publish conflicting and inflated figures regarding enemy losses, contributing to a murky picture of the war’s human cost.

The recent agreement on body exchanges is seen by analysts as one of the few areas where both countries have been willing to coordinate meaningfully, driven perhaps by pressure from grieving families and international organizations focused on humanitarian law.

While the Istanbul talks yielded no major breakthrough on ceasefires or political resolutions, the repatriation of over 6,000 Ukrainian bodies, with 1,245 returned in the final phase, stands as a rare diplomatic success during an otherwise grim and entrenched conflict.

Turkish mediators have played a crucial role in facilitating negotiations between the two countries on issues like prisoner exchanges and humanitarian corridors. Turkey’s unique position — maintaining ties with both Kyiv and Moscow — has allowed it to act as a channel for these essential, if limited, agreements.

With Kyiv saying 1,245 bodies returned to Ukraine from Russia, the conclusion of this mass repatriation effort offers a moment of dignity amid the brutality of war. Though symbolic, such gestures can bring closure to grieving families and reaffirm the importance of humanitarian principles even in times of deep conflict.

As the war shows no signs of ending,Kyiv said both Ukraine and Russia may face increasing domestic and international pressure to pursue further agreements in the humanitarian realm — including continued repatriation of the fallen, the release of prisoners, and safe corridors for civilians trapped near active frontlines.

While political progress remains elusive, efforts like these underscore that even in war, a basic respect for human life — and death — can guide a narrow path toward eventual reconciliation.

Source- EWN