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Ukraine has brought home the bodies of 1,000 soldiers killed in Russia’s full-scale invasion, marking one of the largest recent repatriations.
The development comes as officials disclose new figures on the scale of those still unaccounted for and report shifts in battlefield tactics, reports The Kyiv Independent.
Bodies repatriated
The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War said on Feb. 26 that the remains of 1,000 Ukrainian service members had been returned.
“Law enforcement investigators, together with representatives of Ukrainian expert institutions, will take all necessary measures aimed at identifying the repatriated deceased,” the agency said in a statement.
The Kyiv Independent reported that the exchange coincides with ongoing talks between Ukraine and the United States in Geneva, where preparations are underway for another round of negotiations that Washington hopes to broker with Russia.
Tens of thousands missing
Alongside the repatriation, officials revealed updated data on those whose fate remains unknown.
According to the Kyiv Independent, more than 90,000 Ukrainians are officially registered as missing due to the war, citing Commissioner for Missing Persons Artur Dobroserdov. The figure was first reported by Ukrainska Pravda.
The total includes both military personnel and civilians, many of whom disappeared in areas now under Russian occupation, where verification remains difficult.
The number underscores the prolonged humanitarian consequences of the invasion as families continue to seek answers.
Expanding missile reach
On the military front, Ukraine may be broadening its long-range strike capabilities with the domestically produced FP-5 Flamingo cruise missile.
The Kyiv Independent reported that Ukraine’s General Staff confirmed using Flamingo missiles in a Feb. 21 strike on Russia’s Votkinsk missile plant, located about 1,400 kilometers from Ukraine.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has described Flamingo as Ukraine’s “most successful missile” and previously said it has a range of 3,000 kilometers, with mass production expected in the winter of 2025-2026.
Analysts cited by the outlet say repeated reports of deep strikes could signal a more systematic strategy targeting high-value sites inside Russia.
Drone tactics shift
Ukrainian authorities have also identified a new technological development near the front lines.
The Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office said on Feb. 25 that a Russian FPV drone guided by a fiber-optic cable reached Kharkiv for the first time since the start of the full-scale invasion.
Fiber-optic drones are designed to avoid electronic interference. First introduced on the battlefield in 2024, their use has expanded significantly by both sides in 2025.
Sources: The Kyiv Independent, Ukrainska Pravda
