More than 500 additional bodies of the deceased have been returned to Ukraine
The bodies of 528 deceased individuals, whom the Russian side claims may be Ukrainian servicemen, have been returned to Ukraine. Following repatriation, the process of identifying each of them will begin. This marks another stage in the large-scale effort to bring the deceased home. This was reported by the press service of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War and the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).
Ukraine has received another large batch of bodies—528 individuals were returned as part of repatriation efforts involving various government agencies and international partners. The exact identification of each individual has yet to be conducted, as the current information is based on data provided by the Russian side.
This was reported by the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War and the SBU, noting that all bodies have been handed over for further work by investigators and experts. It is their responsibility to identify the deceased and confirm the circumstances of their deaths.
The agency emphasized that the process was made possible thanks to the joint efforts of the Coordination Headquarters, the SBU, the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Office of the Ombudsman, the State Emergency Service, and other agencies in the security and defense sector.
They also expressed separate gratitude to the International Committee of the Red Cross for its assistance in carrying out the repatriation efforts. “We express our sincere gratitude to the International Committee of the Red Cross for its assistance and support in carrying out the repatriation efforts,” the Coordination Headquarters noted.
Ukraine has repatriated a National Guard soldier from Russian captivity who was serving at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant during its occupation. He was one of the defenders released as part of the large-scale “1,000 for 1,000” prisoner exchange.
During the first phase of the large-scale prisoner exchange, 20 servicemen from the 1st Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine “Azov” returned to Ukraine, 19 of whom were defenders of Mariupol and had spent nearly four years in Russian captivity.
Ukraine and Russia carried out a prisoner-of-war exchange in a 205-for-205 format, according to preliminary data from reports by the Russian side and Telegram channels. Official details regarding the location, time, and lists of participants are currently being clarified.
Ukraine has managed to repatriate more than 9,000 of its citizens from Russian captivity, including both military personnel and hundreds of civilians. This was reported by Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets, who emphasized that efforts to bring people home are ongoing.
In 2025, Ukraine recorded a record number of civilian deaths since the start of the full-scale war. According to official data, Russia remains the biggest violator of human rights, and the number of victims and the extent of destruction continue to rise.
