Russia launches nearly 300 drones at Ukraine as 528 bodies of Ukrainian soldiers are returned
Officials said the remains will undergo DNA testing and forensic identification after a separate exchange returned 205 prisoners each way.
- On Saturday, May 16, 2026, Ukraine reported that Russia returned the remains of 528 individuals identified as Ukrainian soldiers killed in action during the ongoing war.
- Exchanges of prisoners and fallen soldiers have been one of the few areas of cooperation between Moscow and Kyiv since the invasion began more than four years ago.
- Investigators and experts "will take all necessary steps to identify the repatriated deceased," the center said, though identification is complex due to remains sometimes transferred in poor condition or across multiple packages.
- This repatriation follows Friday's prisoner exchange involving 205 Ukrainian service members, marking the first phase of a 1,000-for-1,000 swap announced by President Donald Trump involving a three-day ceasefire.
- The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War conducted the operation alongside multiple Ukrainian state agencies, with the International Committee of the Red Cross assisting the repatriation process.
51 Articles
51 Articles
Ukraine repatriated on Saturday the bodies of 538 soldiers who died in combat following an exchange of prisoners of war with Moscow.
During the Ukraine war, Russia handed over 528 more bodies to Ukrainian authorities.
Russia Unleashes Nearly 300 Drones on Ukraine After Ceasefire Ends
Russia launched another large-scale drone attack against Ukraine overnight, deploying nearly 300 drones across several regions as Kyiv simultaneously confirmed the return of the bodies of 528 fallen Ukrainian soldiers. According to Ukrainian officials, the attacks targeted multiple areas of the country, including Kyiv and western regions close to NATO borders. Ukrainian air defence systems intercepted the majority of the drones, but several stri…
Putin will meet China's head of state Xi Jinping next week and Ukraine will receive over 500 soldiers' corpses back.
Russia returns bodies of 528 fallen soldiers to Ukraine
KYIV — Russia handed over the bodies of 528 fallen soldiers to Ukraine as part of ongoing repatriation efforts between the two countries, Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War announced on Saturday.According to Ukrainian authorities, the bodies — which Russia said may belong to Ukrainian servicemen — were returned under humanitarian repatriation measures.In a statement posted on Facebook, the coordination head…
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