Russia returns bodies of over 1,200 Ukrainian soldiers

The bodies, recovered from multiple front-line regions, mark a continued effort in the humanitarian coordination between the two nations.

According to RT, the Ukrainian Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War first announced the transfer.

The remains were recovered from Kursk, Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, and Zaporozhye regions of Russia, along with Ukraine's Kharkiv region. No individual identities were released. Meanwhile, Russia received the remains of 27 of its soldiers during the exchange.

RT further reported that Medinsky, Moscow's chief negotiator in talks with Kiev, stated on Telegram that both sides had agreed to initiate "urgent sanitary exchanges" involving severely wounded prisoners of war. He emphasized Russia's commitment, saying, "Russia does not abandon its own people."

The exchange followed discussions held earlier this month in Istanbul. As per RT, Moscow had earlier offered to return over 6,000 Ukrainian bodies but accused Kiev of delaying acceptance. Despite logistical setbacks, Russian Lieutenant General Aleksandr Zorin affirmed Moscow's intent to uphold the agreement, calling it a "purely humanitarian action."

Adding to the momentum from the Istanbul talks, a second group of Russian prisoners of war (POWs) has been released from Ukrainian captivity following a major prisoner swap agreement between Moscow and Kiev last week, RT reported, citing the Russian Defense Ministry.

According to RT, while the Defense Ministry did not disclose the exact number of servicemen returned, it released a video showing the freed soldiers draped in Russian flags preparing to board buses. The soldiers are currently receiving psychological and medical assistance in Belarus and will be transferred to Russian military hospitals for rehabilitation.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the exchange, describing it as "the first stage" of a swap involving "seriously wounded... soldiers" and called it "an important humanitarian act."

RT reported that during the second round of direct negotiations in Istanbul, both sides agreed to exchange seriously injured, ill, or under-25 captives. The Russian Defense Ministry did not specify which categories were included in this phase.

Additionally, Russia announced the return of over 6,000 Ukrainian soldiers' bodies as a unilateral humanitarian gesture. Moscow attempted to hand over 1,212 bodies on Saturday, but Ukrainian representatives failed to arrive at the exchange point, RT reported. (ANI)