Russia returns bodies of 528 fallen soldiers to Ukraine

KYIV — Russia handed over the bodies of 528 fallen soldiers to Ukraine as part of ongoing repatriation efforts between the two countries, Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War announced on Saturday.According to Ukrainian authorities, the bodies — which Russia said may belong to Ukrainian servicemen — were returned under humanitarian repatriation measures.In a statement posted on Facebook, the coordination headquarters said law enforcement investigators and forensic experts would work to identify the deceased.Earlier on Friday, Russian state news agency Tass reported, citing sources, that Moscow and Kyiv had exchanged the bodies of fallen soldiers, with Russia handing over 526 bodies and receiving 41 in return.Russia has not yet issued an official statement regarding the exchange.In April, Russia said it transferred 1,000 bodies of fallen soldiers to Ukraine, while Ukraine handed over 41 bodies to the Russian side. Kyiv confirmed receiving the 1,000 bodies at the time but did not specify how many were returned to Russia.The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Feb. 2, 2026, that more than 12,000 remains had been transferred to Ukraine since June 2025, while Russia had received more than 200 bodies of its servicemen during the same period.The ministry also stated that 17 rounds of prisoner-of-war and detainee exchanges between Russia and Ukraine.