A new phase of repatriation has been concluded in Ukraine - 1200 deceased bodies have been ceremoniously returned.

Today marked the continuation of repatriation efforts agreed upon during negotiations in Istanbul. A total of 1200 bodies have been returned, which according to Russian sources, belong to Ukrainian citizens, including military personnel.

In the coming days, law enforcement agencies will conduct all necessary examinations and identifications of the repatriated bodies in collaboration with experts from the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

This process was made possible through the coordinated efforts of the Coordination Headquarters for Prisoner of War Affairs, the Joint Center at the Security Service of Ukraine, the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Human Rights, among other security and defense structures.

We express our gratitude to the International Committee of the Red Cross for their assistance.

Special thanks are due to the personnel of the Central Command of the Armed Forces and the Joint Center, who have organized the transportation of the repatriated individuals to specialized state institutions and facilitate the handover of the deceased to law enforcement and forensic medical examinations.