Ukraine receives 1,000 bodies in latest soldier swap with Russia

2 hours agoJessica RawnsleyEPAThe warring countries agreed to the exchange during talks in Istanbul last yearThe bodies of 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been returned by Russia, Kyiv has said, in the latest exchange between the warring countries. Russia received 38 bodies in return, Moscow's chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky said.Medinsky posted a photo on Telegram apparently showing the exchange, with individuals dressed in biohazard suits standing next to a line of white refrigerated trucks used to transport bodies.Kyiv and Moscow have exchanged thousands of soldiers' bodies over the course of the almost four-year conflict. The latest exchange took place under an agreement reached by the two sides during negotiations in Istanbul in 2025.Under that deal, Moscow and Kyiv agreed to return the bodies of 12,000 soldiers, as well as all sick and heavily wounded prisoners of war and those aged under 25.Vladimir Medinsky/TelegramMoscow's chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky confirmed the exchange on Telegram The last swap took place in November last year when Russia returned 1,000 bodies to Ukraine and received 30 in return.There has not been an exchange of prisoners of war since October 2025, with both sides accusing the other of stalling.As the fourth anniversary of the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022 inches closer, efforts at brokering a peace deal between the two countries continue.The negotiations were described by all sides as constructive, but key territorial issues remain unresolved, including Russia's demand that Ukraine give up the 25% of the Donetsk region still under its control.Despite the ongoing negotiations, both sides continue to exchange drone attacks. At least five people were killed in Ukraine's Kharkiv region on Tuesday after a Russian drone struck a passenger train. Russia has intensified its strikes on key infrastructure targets in recent months, leaving many people in Ukraine to face freezing temperatures without heating or power.More on this story