Ukraine said it has repatriated more than 1,200 bodies soldiers killed in the war sparked by Russia's full-scale invasion more than three years ago, the latest move in a series of prisoner exchanges negotiated between the two sides.
"As a result of the repatriation measures, the bodies of 1,212 fallen Defenders were returned to Ukraine," the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War said in a statement on June 11.
The agency responsible for exchanging prisoners of war said the bodies were returned with the assistance of the International Committee of the Red Cross.
It gave no further details on the exchange and said it is still establishing the identities of the deceased. The swap is part of an ongoing agreement with Russia that has seen busloads of POWs cross the border both ways.
Russia's lead negotiator in the June 2 Istanbul peace talks that sealed the exchange agreement said on June 11 that Russia had received 27 bodies from Ukraine.
The agreement seeks to repatriate the bodies of some 12,000 dead soldiers killed in the war. While the Istanbul talks reached a deal on exchanging prisoners, it failed to make any progress on ending Europe's longest and deadliest conflict since World War II.
Kyiv has expressed agreement with a US call for a 30-day cease-fire. Moscow has resisted and said certain conditions -- unacceptable to Ukraine -- must first be met.
Earlier this week the two sides swapped busloads of POWs under the age of 25, sparking emotional scenes in both countries.
Among those released, according to the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, were members of the Navy, land forces, territorial defense forces, Air Force, Airborne Assault Forces, Border Guard Service, National Guard, and State Special Transport Service.
