Ukraine returns remains of over a thousand fallen defenders in new humanitarian effort
On Tuesday, August 19, Ukraine achieved an important milestone by successfully retrieving the bodies of more than a thousand fallen soldiers.
This milestone was the result of prolonged negotiations and agreements between Ukraine and Russia conducted through diplomatic and humanitarian channels.
According to the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, among the repatriated bodies are five that belonged to active servicemen who fought on the front lines and died while in captivity, as well as others who passed away during extended detention and treatment in Russian camps.
The prolonged delays on the Russian side, which promised to return the bodies according to the agreements but ultimately delayed the process, led to some of the fallen dying before their remains could be recovered.
Overall, the repatriated bodies include heroes from various regions of Ukraine, such as Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk, and also from Kursk in Russia.
All recovered remains will undergo thorough forensic examinations and identification by law enforcement agencies utilizing advanced scientific methods, as assured by the headquarters.
This step is crucial in the ongoing efforts to honor and identify fallen heroes and ensure transparency and collaboration in this process.
At the same time, Ukraine and international human rights organizations continue to criticize Russia for the difficulty and incomplete nature of the identification process, as Ukrainian Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko noted that Russian forces return bodies in a severely damaged and disfigured state, often separated into parts or mixed up in different bags, and sometimes even include the remains of Russian soldiers.
This situation complicates forensic work and hinders establishing the true state of the fallen, raising concerns about adherence to international humanitarian standards.