Interior Minister Klymenko: Russia returns bodies of soldiers to Ukraine mixed and mutilated
Russia has reportedly returned to Ukraine the bodies of Russian soldiers mixed with Ukrainian ones, a move believed to be aimed at complicating identification processes, said Ukraine's Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko, emphasizing the painstaking and emotionally challenging nature of repatriating fallen servicemen.
The return of deceased military personnel, according to Klymenko, is an arduous yet crucial task. He accused Russia of deliberately impeding the identification process by sending back the bodies in a severely mutilated state and mixing Ukrainian bodies with Russian ones. "During the recent repatriations, we received bodies of Russian soldiers mixed with those of Ukrainians. Unfortunately, this is a fact. It may have been done deliberately by the Russians to inflate the number of bodies sent back and overwhelm our experts, while exerting cynical informational pressure. Alternatively, it might reflect their habitual neglect towards their own people. Regardless, we will identify these bodies," Klymenko stated.
Each repatriation triggers a meticulous procedure involving autopsies, detailed inspection by investigators, DNA testing, and scrutiny of every detail, Klymenko added. "The process is inherently complex and lengthy. Yet, Russia intentionally complicates the identification task. Bodies are returned in extremely disfigured conditions, with body parts in separate bags. There have been instances where remains of a single individual were returned at different stages of repatriation," Klymenko wrote.
According to him, experts are operating at their maximum capacity. Every examination is thorough and often repeated. The facilities are well-equipped, and the processes are established, but time remains the biggest challenge. "We understand the pain and anticipation of the families. We're striving to expedite the identification process. However, with each major repatriation, this task becomes more difficult, which might just be Russia's objective. We cannot afford errors. This isn't about statistics for us; it's about people, each of whom deserves dignity and respect," Klymenko stressed.
Notably, on June 14, Ukraine reportedly recovered 1,200 bodies, which, according to Russia, belong to Ukrainian citizens, particularly defense force members, as stated by the Coordination Headquarters. The exchange of bodies was facilitated by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
On June 16, Ukraine retrieved the bodies of 1,212 fallen defenders as part of the ongoing repatriation activities.