Ukraine receives another 1,245 bodies of fallen Ukrainians, repatriation under Istanbul agreements completed

Another 1,245 bodies of the fallen Ukrainians have been brought back to Ukraine under the agreements reached during the negotiations in Istanbul. This marks the completion of the repatriation efforts within the framework of those agreements.

Source: Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War

Details: In total, Ukraine has received 6,057 bodies under the Istanbul agreements.

Quote: "Today marks the final stage of repatriation efforts under the agreements reached in Istanbul. Another 1,245 bodies have been brought back to Ukraine, which the Russian side claims belong to Ukrainian citizens, including service personnel."

Details: The identification of the repatriated bodies will be carried out by law enforcement investigators in cooperation with experts from the Ministry of Internal Affairs. All necessary forensic examinations will be conducted.

Background:

• During negotiations in Istanbul on 2 June, Ukraine and Russia agreed to exchange 6,000-for-6,000 bodies of fallen soldiers. The Ukrainian and Russian delegations also agreed on an all-for-all exchange of severely wounded service members and those aged 18-25.
• President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that of the 6,000 bodies Russia intends to hand over to Ukraine, only 15% have been identified.
• On 11 June, Ukraine received the bodies of 1,212 fallen defenders.
• Another 1,200 bodies were returned on 14 June.
• On 15 June, another 1,200 bodies were brought back to Ukraine.
• The stage of the repatriation operation involving rail transport was completed on 15 June. All future stages will be carried out using road vehicles.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!