World Blog by humble servant.Major Corpse Swaps (Body Exchanges) Between Russia and Ukraine in 2024.Throughout 2024, Russia and Ukraine conducted..These exchanges highlight the war's toll, with bodies often in advanced states of decomposition requiring forensic work for identification. They occurred alongside prisoner-of-war swaps but were distinct humanitarian actions. For 2025, exchanges escalated under Istanbul agreements, but 2024's were more sporadic and tied to frontline recoveries Major Corpse Swaps (Body Exchanges) Between Russia and Ukraine in 2025 In 2025, exchanges of fallen soldiers' remains between Russia and Ukraine intensified compared to 2024, largely due to agreements reached during multiple rounds of talks in Istanbul. These humanitarian efforts, facilitated by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), resulted in the repatriation of approximately 12,389 Ukrainian bodies in exchange for around 317 Russian ones—a stark ratio of about 39:1, reflecting Russia's territorial advances and control over battlefields. The swaps often involved large batches from occupied regions like Donetsk and Kharkiv, with many remains requiring DNA identification due to decomposition. Below is a chronological summary of the key exchanges reported up to September 19, 2025.several exchanges of the remains of fallen soldiers, often mediated by the International Committee of the Red Cross. These swaps are part of ongoing humanitarian efforts amid the war, though they are typically unequal, with Ukraine repatriating far more bodies than Russia due to battlefield dynamics. In total for 2024, approximately 3,300 Ukrainian bodies were returned in exchange for around 600 Russian ones, at a ratio of about 5.5:1. Below is a summary of the key exchanges based on reported dates and numbers.
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Major Corpse Swaps (Body Exchanges) Between Russia and Ukraine in 2024 Throughout 2024, Russia and Ukraine conducted several exchanges of the remains of fallen soldiers, often mediated by the International Committee of the Red Cross. These swaps are part of ongoing humanitarian efforts amid the war, though they are typically unequal, with Ukraine repatriating far more bodies than Russia due to battlefield dynamics. In total for 2024, approximately 3,300 Ukrainian bodies were returned in exchange for around 600 Russian ones, at a ratio of about 5.5:1. Below is a summary of the key exchanges based on reported dates and numbers. Date Ukrainian Bodies Repatriated Russian Bodies Returned to Russia Notes/Context April 12, 2024 99 23 Early 2024 swap; total of 122 bodies exchanged. Bodies recovered from various frontlines. August 2, 2024 250 38 One of the largest at the time; included remains from Mariupol (captured in 2022). DNA identification used for Ukrainian families. October 18, 2024 501...
