Ukraine's MIA Claims Russia Returns Own Soldiers' Bodies In Latest Repatriation

2025-06-17 03:56:16

(MENAFN- UkrinForm) During the latest repatriation, the Russians handed over to the Ukrainian side the bodies of their own soldiers, mixed in with the bodies of Ukrainian servicemen.

This was reported by the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, Ihor Klymenko, on Telegram , according to Ukrinform.

“During the latest repatriations, we were also handed the bodies of Russian soldiers – mixed with the bodies of Ukrainians. Unfortunately, this is a fact. This could have been done by the Russians intentionally, in order to inflate the number of returned bodies and burden our forensic experts, all while adding cynical informational pressure. Or it could simply reflect their usual negligent attitude toward their own people. In any case, we are also identifying these bodies,” Klymenko stated.

The minister noted that the process of returning the bodies of the fallen is complex and lengthy - one of the most difficult tasks.

“And Russia deliberately complicates our identification process. The bodies are returned in a severely mutilated state, with body parts placed in different bags. There have been cases when the remains of a single individual are returned during different stages of repatriation,” he added.

Separately, the Minister explained that after each repatriation begins meticulous work: autopsy, thorough examination by an investigator, DNA testing, and checking every detail.

Read also: Bodies of 1,245 fallen Ukrainians repatriated to Ukraine

He assured that the experts of the Ministry of Internal Affairs are working at the limits of their capacity and that every examination is carried out thoroughly and more than once.

“We understand the pain and anticipation of the families and are doing everything to speed up the identification process as much as possible,” Klymenko said.

“But with each large repatriation, it becomes more difficult to do so, and perhaps that is Russia's goal... The biggest challenge is time. We cannot afford a mistake. For us, these are not statistics. These are people, and each of them deserves to be treated with dignity,” he emphasized.

As reported, there is currently no exact data on the number of Ukrainian bodies held in Russia.

Photo: Coordination Headquarters

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