Ukraine expects to return bodies of fallen defenders next week - Kotenko

Oleg Kotenko, the Commissioner for Persons Missing in Special Circumstances, said this at a briefing at the Ukraine-Union Media Centre.

"We expect the return of the living, but it also happens that we take the bodies of our dead soldiers. By the way, next week we will also conduct such an operation to return the bodies of our defenders," Kotenko said, noting that he hopes to return those soldiers whose fate is unknown.

In one year of work, the Office of the Commissioner for Persons Missing in Special Circumstances managed to return the bodies of more than 1,500 fallen heroes, he said.

The transfer of the bodies of fallen soldiers is carried out in accordance with the Geneva Conventions. This process usually takes place with the assistance of the Office of the Commissioner for Missing Persons under the Ministry of Reintegration in cooperation with law enforcement agencies. The bodies of our defenders are handed over to their families for a decent burial.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, on 5 May, the bodies of 80 fallen defenders were returned home. In April, the bodies of 82 fallen Ukrainian servicemen were returned.