Ukraine repatriates bodies of 100 fallen soldiers
The bodies of 100 fallen soldiers were returned Friday, March 15, to Ukraine.
The Coordination Headquarters for the Affairs of Prisoners of War stated that they would be handed over to their families for burial after identification, Rubryka reports.
"A regular repatriation brought 100 fallen Ukrainian defenders to Ukraine," the statement said.
The fallen troops were repatriated thanks to the cooperation of the employees of the Coordination Headquarters for the Affairs of Prisoners of War with the Unified Center under the Security Service of Ukraine, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, and other representatives of the security and defense sector.
The Coordination Headquarters expressed special thanks for the assistance of the International Committee of the Red Cross.
"The Armed Forces of Ukraine provide transportation of repatriated bodies and remains to designated state institutions to transfer them to representatives of law enforcement agencies and forensic experts for the identification of the deceased," the Coordination Headquarters emphasized.
Earlier, on February 16, the bodies of 58 fallen defenders were returned to Ukraine.
On January 26, Ukraine returned the bodies (remains) of 77 fallen servicemen who gave their lives defending the freedom and independence of their country to the government-controlled territory.
Prisoner exchange
Ukraine and Russia have conducted several exchanges of prisoners of war since the beginning of the full-scale war. Since August 2023, Moscow has frozen the exchange of prisoners with Ukraine.
However, the largest exchange of prisoners took place on January 3 since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. Ukraine was able to return 230 defenders home.
On January 24, Ukraine and Russia were supposed to conduct the 50th exchange of prisoners, but it was disrupted due to the crash of an Il-76 plane near Belgorod.
The Russians claimed that dozens of Ukrainian prisoners were allegedly on board the plane. However, Ukraine does not confirm this.
According to the Ukrainian Defense Intelligence, the disrupted exchange was supposed to be one of the largest during the war.
