Ukraine and Russia exchange remains — Kyiv receives 252, Moscow 23
Transfer mediated by the International Committee of the Red Cross; wide gap in returned bodies persists—Ukraine has received 21,000+ since early 2025.
Ukraine and Russia carried out another exchange of the bodies of servicemembers, with Kyiv receiving 252 bodies and Moscow receiving the remains of 23 soldiers, the Ukrainian Coordinating Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War said.
According to the Ukrainian statement, the 252 items were handed over "to Ukrainian citizens, including military personnel." The transfer was mediated by the International Committee of the Red Cross; the location of the handover was not disclosed.
Both sides have regularly exchanged the remains of those killed in the fighting. Since the beginning of 2025, Ukraine has received more than 21,000 bodies, while Russia has received more than 700.
The large disparity in numbers is partly explained by recent Russian territorial gains, which have at times prevented Ukrainian forces from recovering their dead during withdrawals. Observers have also noted that the number of bodies delivered by Moscow to Kyiv has fallen in recent weeks.
Casualty figures for the war, which began on 24 February 2022, remain classified by both governments. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in July estimated the number of killed Ukrainian soldiers at about 50,000, while estimates based on published death notices suggest Ukrainian fatalities may exceed 200,000. Russian military deaths are now estimated at more than 350,000.
Authorities on both sides continue to keep tight control over official tallies of military losses, and exchanges of remains are ongoing as front-line conditions and diplomatic arrangements allow.
Photo: press material from the event
