On March 28, 2025, 909 of the fallen Ukrainian defenders were returned to Ukraine, who died during the fighting in different directions of the front. Repatriation was the result of joint efforts between several government agencies and international organizations.
The soldiers gave their lives in the battles in Kurakhiv, Pokrovsky, Bakhmut, Coloral, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhya directions, which became one of the hottest points in the war in eastern Ukraine. In addition, bodies that were stored in the morgue in temporarily occupied territories and in Russia were returned.
The repatriation process was carried out through joint efforts of the Coordination Headquarters on the management of prisoners of war, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Security Service of Ukraine, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ombudsman's Office for Human Rights, as well as authorized persons on missing persons. An important role in this process was also played by the International Committee of the Red Cross, which contributed to the return of bodies.
After repatriation, the law enforcement agencies, together with the expert institutions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, will investigate and establish a person of each of the dead defenders. This will allow the relatives to obtain the necessary documents and proper assistance, as well as to take appropriate burial measures.
This is the second major step in the process of returning the bodies of the fallen Ukrainian military, which emphasizes the importance of ensuring the proper attitude to the dead and their families, even in the most difficult times of the war.
At the same time, such a return of bodies is not only an important humanitarian gesture, but also the testimony of the unbreakable support of its defenders by the country.
