Ukraine has returned the bodies of 563 fallen defenders.

Ukraine has returned the bodies of 563 fallen defenders. This was reported by the Coordinating Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.

In particular, 320 bodies of defenders who died on the Donetsk front and 89 fallen soldiers from the Bakhmut direction have been returned. Additionally, 154 bodies have been returned from morgues on the territory of the Russian Federation.

The fallen defenders were returned thanks to the interaction of employees of the Coordinating Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War with the Joint Center of the SBU, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, the Office of the Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for Human Rights, the Secretariat of the Commissioner for Persons Missing under Special Circumstances, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (CU CWS), the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, and other representatives of the Security and Defense Sector of Ukraine. Special thanks for the assistance go to the International Committee of the Red Cross

The Armed Forces of Ukraine will transport the returned bodies and remains to designated state institutions. Law enforcement representatives and forensic experts will establish the identities of the deceased.

It should be noted that law enforcement is investigating 49 criminal cases regarding the killings of 124 Ukrainian prisoners of war on the battlefield.

Additionally, the first healthcare institution in the Ministry of Defense system has received the status of a Reintegration Center for military personnel released from captivity.

Earlier, international partners released new proposals that may accelerate the process of returning Ukrainians from Russian captivity.