Kyiv says 1,245 bodies returned to Ukraine from Russia

KYIV, Ukraine: Russia has returned 1,245 bodies to Ukraine, Kyiv said on Monday, the final stage of a deal to repatriate more than 6,000 dead Ukrainian soldiers agreed at peace talks this month.

Russia and Ukraine reached an agreement on a large-scale exchange of prisoners and the bodies of killed soldiers -- the only visible result from two rounds of direct talks in the Turkish city of Istanbul.

“Another 1,245 bodies returned to Ukraine -- repatriation part of Istanbul agreements has been completed,” the government agency coordinating the repatriation said. Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov said on Facebook that Kyiv had received more than 6,000 bodies in total over the past week.