World · Europe · 43 mins ago
Russia and Ukraine exchange remains of 277 people killed in war
Ukraine received 252 bodies in an exchange with Russia, while Russia received 25 in return.
The exchange involved people killed in the war between the two countries, which began with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The two sides exchanged 277 bodies in total, according to a Russian lawmaker cited by Russian media.
Ukraine said officials will work to identify the people whose remains were returned.
Many returned remains still await identification, and regular exchanges are one of the few areas of cooperation between the warring sides.
The International Committee of the Red Cross helped facilitate this exchange.
Russia and Ukraine exchanged the remains of 277 people killed in the war, according to reports citing Russian lawmaker Shamsail Saraliyev.
Russia returned 252 bodies to Ukraine, while Ukraine handed over 25 bodies to Russia.
The exchange took place at the Novaya Guta checkpoint in Belarus.
Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War confirmed the return and said the remains would undergo identification procedures.
The remains of a Sri Lankan citizen were among those returned to Russia, according to a Ukrainian foundation involved in managing Russian prisoners of war.
- Who
- Russia and Ukraine.
- What
- They exchanged the remains of 277 people. Russia returned 252 bodies to Ukraine, and Ukraine handed over 25 to Russia.
- When
- October 22, 2026.
- Where
- The Novaya Guta checkpoint in Belarus.
- Why
- Not stated.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Ukraine brought home the bodies of 261 deceased people that Russia said could belong to Ukrainian service members, according to the Kyiv Independent.
Russia handed over 252 bodies to Ukraine and Ukraine handed over 23 to Russia, according to Meduza.
Russia and Ukraine exchanged 252 bodies returned to Ukraine and 25 handed over to Russia.
- Total exchanged
- 277 bodies
- Returned to Ukraine
- 252 bodies
- Returned to Russia
- 25 bodies
- Exchange location
- Novaya Guta checkpoint, Belarus
- Date
- October 22, 2026
4 sources
What people are saying
As a result of repatriation measures, the bodies of 252 deceased have been returned to Ukraine
the remains of Russian servicemen were repatriated