Ukraine has received the remains of another 1,245 fallen individuals, marking the completion of the repatriation component of the Istanbul agreements with Russia.
The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War announced this on Telegram, Ukrinform reports.
This was the final stage of the repatriation measures outlined in the Istanbul negotiations.
The remains, reportedly of Ukrainian citizens—including military personnel—were transferred by the Russian side. This brings the total number of bodies returned under the Istanbul framework to 6,057.
Ukrainian law enforcement and forensic experts from the Interior Ministry will now carry out the necessary examinations and identification procedures.
The successful execution of the repatriation efforts was made possible through the joint work of the Coordination Headquarters, the Joint Center at the Security Service of Ukraine, the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Interior Ministry, the Office of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, the Secretariat of the Commissioner for Persons Gone Missing under Special Circumstances, the State Emergency Service, and other structures within Ukraine’s security and defense sector.
The Coordination Headquarters expressed gratitude to the International Committee of the Red Cross for its assistance.
Special thanks were also extended to the personnel of the Central Directorate of Civil-Military Cooperation of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Joint Center for Civil-Military Cooperation Support, which handled the transportation of the remains to designated state institutions and coordinated the transfer of bodies to law enforcement and forensic authorities.
Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service earlier warned that Russia is preparing a disinformation campaign to discredit Ukraine regarding the handling of exchanges and repatriations, with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin personally initiating the plan.
Source: Bodies of 1,245 fallen Ukrainians repatriated to Ukraine
