Ukraine returns bodies of 51 fallen defenders

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

"The Ukrainian side has taken a number of measures that resulted in the repatriation of the bodies of 51 fallen defenders to the territory controlled by the Ukrainian government," the statement said.

The transfer of the fallen soldiers took place with the cooperation of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. 

In total, the bodies of 1,832 Ukrainian soldiers have been repatriated in two years.

"Ukraine will continue to search for and return the bodies of all our heroes who gave their lives in the battles for independence," the ministry added.

For reference. The Coordinating Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War was established on March 11, 2022, in accordance with Resolution No. 257 of the Ukrainian government

• On July 7, Ukrainian Parliamentary Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets announced that Ukraine has managed to identify most of the bodies of prisoners of war killed in a Russian terrorist attack in the village of Olenivka in the Donetsk region. 

• On July 12, Ukraine managed to return the bodies of 19 people who died in Russian captivity.

• In August, 22 Ukrainian defenders were returned home from Russian captivity.

• A representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine, Andriy Yusov, said that about 2,600 prisoners of war have returned home since the onset of the full-scale war. But Russia refuses to return some of them without giving any reason.