On February 26, Ukraine repatriated 1,000 remains, claimed by Russia to belong to deceased Ukrainian defenders. This event marks a significant step in the ongoing process of identifying these individuals.
The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War reported that Ukrainian authorities will collaborate with experts to conduct necessary identification procedures for the repatriated remains.
This repatriation was made possible through coordinated efforts involving various Ukrainian agencies, including the Security Service of Ukraine, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Office of the Ombudsman, among others.
The Coordination Headquarters also expressed gratitude to the International Committee of the Red Cross for its assistance in facilitating these repatriation efforts.
Prior to this, Vladimir Medinsky, assistant to Russian President Vladimir Putin and head of the Russian negotiating delegation, announced that Ukraine had transferred 35 bodies of deceased servicemen to Russia. The Russian Ministry of Defense has not yet commented on the latest repatriation.
On January 29, Russia had previously returned 1,000 remains to Ukraine, also claimed to be those of fallen Ukrainian soldiers. In exchange, Ukraine had provided Russia with 38 deceased personnel.
Previous Repatriation Efforts
The last major repatriation occurred on December 19, 2025, when Ukraine returned 1,003 remains, which Russia asserted were Ukrainian servicemen. According to the Coordination Headquarters, agreements established earlier resulted in the return of 6,057 remains to Ukraine by June 2025.
On July 17, as part of the Istanbul agreements reached on June 2, Ukraine received an additional 1,000 remains from Russia. Further repatriation efforts on August 19, September 18, and October 23 involved the return of 1,000 remains each time, all claimed by Russia to belong to Ukrainian soldiers. Most recently, on November 20, Russia returned another 1,000 remains to Ukraine.
Ukraine's recent repatriation of 1,000 remains from Russia underscores ongoing efforts in identifying fallen soldiers. This process involves multiple Ukrainian agencies and international support.