Russia and Ukraine Exchanged Remains of Over 550 Fallen Soldiers, Lawmaker Says

June 18, 2026 @Koord_shtab / Telegram Russia and Ukraine exchanged the bodies of more than 550 soldiers killed fighting in the war, a senior Russian lawmaker said Thursday. Shamsail Saraliyev, a State Duma lawmaker from the ruling United Russia party and member of a parliamentary group dedicated to the conflict, said Ukraine received 522 bodies of its soldiers while 33 were returned to Russia. Ukraine did not immediately confirm the exchange. Last month, authorities in Kyiv said Russia had returned 528 bodies of killed Ukrainian soldiers, while Russian media reported that Ukraine had returned 41 fallen Russian servicemen. That prior exchange was conducted alongside a POW swap mediated by the United Arab Emirates. Later in June, the two sides carried out an additional prisoner exchange, also with UAE involvement. The return of fallen service members and the exchange of prisoners of war have been among the very few areas of humanitarian cooperation between Russia and Ukraine since the 2022 invasion. Read more about: Ukraine war Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Germany’s Scholz Open to More Talks With Putin Despite ‘Frustration’ The call comes as talk of negotiations is heating up ahead of Donald Trump’s return to office in January. 1 Min read Russian Soldiers Ordering Taxis to Evacuate Front Line as Army Bans Private Cars The reported development follows a controversial decision by the Russian military to ban the use of privately owned and humanitarian vehicles. 2 Min read Russia Says Returns Bodies of Ukrainian POWs Killed in Plane Crash Russia’s defense ministry in January accused Ukraine of firing missiles at the Il-76 transport aircraft in January, killing all 74 people on board. 1 Min read Hospitalized Russian Soldiers Protest Forced Return to Front – Reports Videos published on social media showed the soldiers being escorted out of the hospital, some of them wearing handcuffs. One was shown handcuffed to his... 1 Min read