August M
Russia says it has handed over the remains of 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers and received 35 Russian bodies in return, in one of the largest exchanges since the war began.
The swap took place as diplomatic contacts intensified, with Ukrainian officials meeting envoys of U.S. President Donald Trump in Geneva to discuss reconstruction and potential new peace talks.
The conflict, now in its fifth year, continues alongside periodic negotiations and heavy fighting, reports the BBC.
Details of the exchange
Vladimir Medinsky, a senior aide to President Vladimir Putin, announced the transfer on Telegram, posting an image that appeared to show bodies being unloaded from a truck.
Ukrainian authorities later confirmed receiving 1,000 bodies which, “according to prior information from the Russian side, may belong to Ukrainian defenders.”
The exchange follows an agreement reached during negotiations in Istanbul in June 2025, according to statements made by both sides at the time. The deal provided for the return of up to 6,000 bodies each, along with the repatriation of sick, severely wounded, and prisoners of war.
Casualty figures disputed
Both Moscow and Kyiv regularly publish estimates of the other side’s losses, while providing limited verified data on their own.
President Volodymyr Zelensky recently acknowledged that 55,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed, though Western analysts caution that the figure may not include those listed as missing.
Separately, the BBC has verified — using open-source data — the names of nearly 186,000 people killed while fighting for Russia in Ukraine. The broadcaster notes that the true figure is likely significantly higher, as many battlefield deaths are not publicly recorded.
Although some estimates suggest Russia is suffering heavier daily losses, Moscow has returned more bodies overall than it has received. Neither side has fully explained the discrepancy.
Talks and renewed attacks
The exchange came hours before Zelensky’s chief negotiator met U.S. officials in Geneva, as preparations continued for a possible third round of U.S.-led talks that could include Russia.
Ahead of the meeting, Zelensky said Russia launched 420 drones and 39 missiles across six regions of Ukraine, injuring dozens of people.
Zelensky expressed hope that negotiations could eventually move to a meeting at the leaders’ level, calling it the only way to resolve “complex and sensitive issues” and end the war.
Putin has declined direct talks with Zelensky, arguing that Ukraine’s president lacks legitimacy because elections have not been held since his term expired in March 2024. Ukraine’s constitution, however, prohibits elections while martial law remains in force.
Sources: BBC
