Moscow: Russia and Ukraine have exchanged the bodies of fallen servicemen under the Istanbul agreements, officials from both countries confirmed on Thursday. Russian State Duma Deputy Shamsail Saraliev announced that Russia received the remains of 31 soldiers from Ukraine as part of the swap.

According to Anadolu Agency, an exchange of 31 for 1,000 took place. Thirty-one bodies of the deceased were returned to Russia, as stated by Saraliev to Russian media outlet RBC. Meanwhile, Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War confirmed that Russia returned 1,000 bodies to Ukraine, which, according to the Russian side, belong to Ukrainian servicemen.

The Coordination Headquarters mentioned that investigators from law enforcement and expert institutions of the Interior Ministry will conduct examinations and identification procedures for the repatriated bodies. The repatriation was facilitated through the joint efforts of the headquarters staff, the Security Service of Ukraine, the Armed Forces, the Interior Ministry, the Ombudsman's Office, the Commissioner for Persons Missing under Special Circumstances, the State Emergency Service, and other security and defense institutions.

The Coordination Headquarters also expressed gratitude to the International Committee of the Red Cross for its assistance and extended 'special thanks' to the military medical service for organizing transportation and transferring the remains to forensic and investigative authorities.