Russia Returned Its Own Dead Soldiers in Body Swaps

Ukraine’s authorities reported that 20 bodies Russia returned earlier this year, believed to be Ukrainian, were actually Russian soldiers.

According to First Deputy National Police Head Maxim Tsuts’kiridze, the remains were often in an “appalling” state—sometimes little more than bone fragments, and occasionally mixed together in single bags.

This situation greatly complicates forensic examination and identification efforts.

Ukraine’s forensic teams are now using DNA analysis to identify each set of remains.

So far, three bodies have been confirmed as Russian and returned to Moscow, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said.

The remains sometimes come with Russian uniforms, ID tags, or personal documents—raising concerns that Moscow may be either indifferent to the condition or deliberately hindering proper identification.

Klymenko warned that identifying the more than 6,000 bodies exchanged under the Istanbul agreements could take 13 to 14 months due to the condition of the remains.

Forensics experts are working around the clock in three shifts to speed up the process. Ukraine has already begun DNA testing on bodies recovered from a downed Russian Il-76 transport plane in Belgorod to determine whether they are Ukrainian servicemen.

These revelations are part of a broader story, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirming that Russia sent back 20 bodies of its own soldiers disguised as Ukrainian casualties. Zelensky cited Russian passports found on some of the remains.