On June 18, the bodies of 522 deceased individuals were returned to Ukraine. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine citing the press service of the Coordination Headquarters on Prisoner of War Issues. According to the Russian side, among those repatriated are Ukrainian citizens, specifically military personnel.
Joint efforts of security agencies
The success of the operation was made possible thanks to the coordinated work of numerous agencies. The process involved employees of the Coordination Headquarters, the Joint Center under the SBU, the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Office of the Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada for Human Rights, the Secretariat of the Commissioner for Missing Persons under Special Circumstances, the State Emergency Service, and other structures of the Security and Defense Sector of Ukraine.
Identification and expert examinations
Investigators from law enforcement agencies, together with expert institutions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, will conduct all necessary examinations to identify the repatriated bodies. This is a crucial stage that will allow families to receive answers and begin the process of saying goodbye.
History of repatriations
This is not the first such operation. On May 16, the bodies of 528 deceased individuals were returned to Ukraine, which, according to the Russian side, may belong to Ukrainian military personnel. Prior to that, on April 9, another 1,000 bodies were returned to Ukraine. Another exchange took place on February 26 — at that time, another 1,000 bodies were returned, which may belong to our defenders.
Each repatriation is a step towards restoring justice and helping families who have been waiting for news about their loved ones for years. The work continues, and each new operation brings us closer to a full understanding of the scale of losses and the possibilities for concluding this difficult process.