In a significant development on Friday, Ukrainian authorities confirmed the return of the bodies of 501 soldiers from Russia, marking the largest exchange of war dead since Russia’s invasion began in February 2022. Most of the soldiers were killed in heavy fighting around Avdiivka in the eastern Donetsk region.
According to Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, the bodies will be identified by law enforcement and forensic experts before being returned to their families for proper burial.
While both sides have suffered immense casualties during the ongoing war, with estimates of tens of thousands of soldiers killed on each side, official figures remain undisclosed. The war has seen heavy fighting and significant losses, particularly in contested areas like Donetsk.
This repatriation follows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s recent unveiling of portions of his “victory plan,” which aims to bring Russia to the negotiating table to end the war.
