Russia and Ukraine carry out new exchange of war dead

Russia and Ukraine said on Thursday that they had carried out the latest exchange of their war dead, a regular practice designed to allow relatives of those killed on the battlefield to bury their loved ones.

Russia handed Ukraine 1,000 bodies of Ukrainian soldiers, the two countries said in statements. Kyiv had handed Moscow the bodies of 38 Russian soldiers, Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky said.

Medinsky posted an image on Telegram of the exchange showing white refrigerated trucks parked on a snow-covered area next to a wood with people clad in white biohazard suits standing around.

Ukraine's coordination centre for prisoner exchanges confirmed an exchange of bodies had taken place, saying on Telegram that Russia had handed Kyiv 1,000 bodies which Moscow claimed belonged to Ukrainian soldiers.

While Kyiv and Moscow continue regular exchanges of their war dead, the last time they exchanged prisoners of war was in October 2025. Both sides accuse each other of stalling new prisoner exchanges.