First 2026 exchange of fallen bodies carried out
On Thursday, January 29, an exchange of bodies of Ukrainian soldiers killed in action took place between Ukraine and the Russia, with the latter side returning 1,000 Ukrainians killed in action.
The previous exchange of KIAs (soldiers killed in action) between Russia and Ukraine took place on November 20, 2025.
The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War confirmed the exchange.
"Today, repatriation measures were carried out, within the framework of which 1,000 bodies (remains) of the deceased were returned to Ukraine, which, according to the Russian side, belong to Ukrainian defenders. Law enforcement investigators, together with representatives of expert institutions of Ukraine, will take all necessary measures aimed at identifying the repatriated deceased," the headquarters said on Telegram.
It is noted that the repatriation measures were implemented as a result of the joint work of representatives of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, the Joint Center under the Security Service of Ukraine, the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, the Office of the Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for Human Rights, the Secretariat of the Commissioner for Persons Missing in Special Circumstances, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, and other structures of the Security and Defense Sector of Ukraine.
