1,245 bodies returned to Ukraine in final stage of exchange under Istanbul agreements

This was reported by the Ukrainian Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.

In total, 6,057 bodies have been returned to Ukraine under this agreement.

After repatriation, investigators and forensic experts from the Ministry of Internal Affairs will begin the necessary examinations to identify the bodies.

The exchange was made possible thanks to joint efforts by the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, the Joint Center under the Security Service of Ukraine, the Armed Forces, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Human Rights Commissioner’s Office, the Secretariat for Missing Persons, the State Emergency Service, and other security and defense bodies.

The Coordination Headquarters also thanked the International Committee of the Red Cross and personnel from the Central Directorate of the Central Military District of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. These teams transport the bodies to state institutions, handle the transfer to law enforcement, and organize forensic medical exams.

Defense Minister Rustem Umerov stressed that although this stage of the Istanbul Agreements is complete, Ukraine will keep fighting for the return of all its people, including POWs.

"Today marks the final stage of repatriating the bodies. The last one in this format. Since last week, when the Istanbul agreements were activated, we’ve brought back over 6,000 bodies. All of them are now being identified. Behind each one is a name, a life, a family waiting for answers. Thank you to everyone who did this tough but vital work every day. We’re not stopping. The next stage is ahead: we keep fighting for the return of our prisoners," he said.

• On Saturday, June 14, 2025, another phase of the prisoner exchange under the Istanbul Agreements took place. Ukrainian soldiers held in Russian captivity since 2022 returned home.