Vladimir Medinsky, advisor to the Russian president and chief negotiator with Ukraine, announced on 26/2 that Moscow completed another body exchange with Kyiv. He did not detail the process but posted images of body bags being unloaded from trucks.

Ukrainian officials have not confirmed information about the exchange.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) supported the humanitarian operation, which took place as the United States is pushing Russia and Ukraine to negotiate an end to the conflict.

Delegations from the United States and Ukraine met on 26/2 in Switzerland to discuss cooperation commitments for Ukraine's reconstruction once the conflict ends. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hopes to soon organize a leadership-level meeting with Russia and the United States to reach consensus on key issues.

Specialists participating in the exchange of military personnel bodies between Russia and Ukraine in 7/2025. Photo: AFP

This is the second exchange of soldier bodies between the two countries in 2026. The first occurred on 29/1, when Russia handed over 1,000 bodies to Ukraine and received 38 fallen servicemen. In 2025, Russia returned over 15,000 bodies to Ukraine and received approximately 400 fallen servicemen.

Prisoner and soldier body exchanges are rare areas of cooperation Russia and Ukraine maintain amidst the conflict. After direct negotiations in Istanbul, Turkey, in 6/2025, Ukraine's defense minister stated both sides would exchange soldier bodies using a "6,000 for 6,000" formula, while Russia described it as a unilateral repatriation agreement.

Additionally, both sides pledged to return all severely wounded or ill prisoners of war and those under 25 years old.

Russia previously accused Ukraine of not complying with the Istanbul agreement on body repatriation, while Ukraine stated that the bodies returned by Russia "had abnormalities" and sometimes included Russian bodies.

Thanh Danh