In the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, bodies of soldiers have been exchanged once again. The Ukrainian coordination staff for prisoner of war issues announced on Telegram that Kiev received 121 bodies of soldiers who were killed in fighting in the Luhansk, Donetsk, and Zaporizhia regions. The International Committee of the Red Cross assisted in mediating the return. On the Russian side, 29 casualties were received, as announced by MP Shamsail Saraliyev in Moscow.
Ukraine has been resisting the Russian invasion for over two years, with President Volodymyr Zelensky stating in February that 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed. However, Western estimates suggest that Ukrainian losses may be much higher. Experts believe the number of deaths on both sides to be more than twice as high.
The warring parties have previously exchanged prisoners, with negotiations over the exchange of dead and prisoners being one of the last remaining contacts between the two neighbors. The most recent exchange of casualties took place on March 15th, with Ukraine receiving 100 bodies and Russia receiving 69 soldiers killed.