Russia releases remains of 140 Ukrainian soldiers

Russia has released the remains of 140 Ukrainian soldiers killed while trying to defend the regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhya and Kherson.

The authority responsible for prisoner of war matters said on Telegram on Friday.

Five bodies were from the Sumy section in northern Ukraine.

Russia has no Ukrainian territories under its control in this area, however at the beginning of March, units of allegedly Russian volunteers fighting on the side of Ukraine made advances from the Sumy region into Russian territory.

“Once the identities of the dead have been established, they will be handed over to their relatives,” the authority said.

READ ALSO: Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy says about 3,000 Ukrainian soldiers killed

The authority, known as the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, thanked the International Committee of the Red Cross for arranging the return.

Ukraine has been fending off a Russian invasion for over two years.

Despite the ongoing fighting, both sides regularly exchange the bodies of fallen soldiers and prisoners of war.

However, it is not yet known whether and how many dead soldiers Russia has received in return.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now