To Ukraine On 17 September, the bodies of 252 victims were returned, which, according to the Russian side, belong to Ukrainian citizens, in particular military personnel. Law enforcement agencies and experts will now carry out the necessary investigations to establish the identities of those repatriated. This was announced by the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.
- The bodies of 252 of the deceased have been returned to Ukraine.
- Russia refers to them as Ukrainian citizens.
- Forensic analysis and identification are still to come.
- The ICRC has become involved in the repatriation process.
- Previously, Russian soldiers had been found amongst the bodies that had been handed over.
Experts are to identify the victims
The Coordination Centre emphasises that the information regarding the identification of the bodies as those of Ukrainian citizens is currently based on data provided by the Russian side.
Following repatriation, law enforcement investigators, together with specialists from forensic institutions, must carry out a comprehensive series of investigations and identify the deceased. This is the procedure followed in all such repatriations.
Once the bodies of the Ukrainian defenders have been definitively identified, they are handed over to their families for burial.
The Red Cross has joined the operation
Repatriation measures are carried out with the involvement of the Coordination Headquarters, the Joint Centre attached to the Security Service of Ukraine, the Armed Forces, the Ministry of the Interior, the Ombudsman’s Office, the State Emergency Service and other bodies within the security and defence sector.
Assistance with repatriation is also provided by International Committee of the Red Cross. Once the bodies have been handed over, the Ukrainian military arranges for them to be transported to specialised facilities, where forensic and other examinations are carried out.
Why is every body thoroughly checked?
Identification is particularly important in view of previous incidents during repatriations.
In June 2025, the Ukrainian Ministry of the Interior stated that experts At least 20 cases of the transfer of the bodies of Russian servicemen have been identified amongst the remains that Russia handed over to Ukraine. Russian military dog tags, insignia, documents, distinctive uniforms and other physical evidence were found on some of the bodies.
At the same time, the Ukrainian side emphasised that even such characteristics do not, in themselves, constitute conclusive evidence. DNA tests and comparisons with existing databases are carried out to establish a person’s identity.
The three bodies of Russian military personnel discovered during these procedures had, by that point, already been identified and returned to the Russian side.
Repatriations are continuing
Ukraine regularly organises the repatriation of the bodies of the deceased. In particular, On 13 August, 261 bodies were repatriated, and on 16 July — a further 501. In each instance, the Ukrainian side specifically emphasised that Russia’s claims regarding the identities of the deceased must be confirmed by forensic examinations.
The 252 bodies currently in our care must also undergo a full series of examinations. Only once the identities have been established and the results of the examinations confirmed will the families be able to receive official information about the deceased.
