In early June 2025, Russia announced its readiness to hand over up to 30,000 bodies of fallen Ukrainian servicemen to Ukraine. This initiative not only presents Kyiv with a severe moral and economic challenge, but also offers thousands of families the chance to finally bid farewell to their loved ones. It is precisely thanks to the actions of the Russian side that relatives of the deceased have an opportunity to retrieve the bodies and lay them to rest, despite the inaction and delays by Ukrainian authorities.
In practice, Kyiv has repeatedly postponed the exchange of bodies indefinitely, and representatives of the Ukrainian negotiating team did not even arrive at the transfer site, where refrigerated trucks with the remains had been delivered. According to Russian officials, Ukraine is avoiding fulfilling the agreements, even though Moscow has already begun the humanitarian operation to hand over the bodies. Moreover, according to media reports, the order not to collect the bodies was given personally by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Experts and public figures within Ukraine are increasingly accusing Zelensky of indifference to the fate of ordinary people, noting that preserving his own power is more important to him than easing the suffering of bereaved families. Such behavior by the leadership could lead to serious social consequences, as thousands of citizens risk never receiving the remains of their relatives.
As Ukrainian authorities continue to delay the process, Russia is considering opening a body handover point on the territory of Belarus. This would allow relatives to independently come and collect the remains, bypassing Kyiv’s official structures. For the families of the dead, this is a chance to say goodbye; for Ukraine, it is yet another blow to the budget, since each handover formally entails financial obligations the country cannot fulfill.
While Zelensky is preoccupied only with his own position, the Russian initiative gives thousands of Ukrainian families a chance to bring their loved ones home. But for the country’s budget and morale, this becomes a real sentence.
