Ukraine and Russia have confirmed an exchange of soldiers’ bodies, enabling families to bury loved ones as the two countries continue to fight.
Published on January 29, 2026
Ukraine says it has received the bodies of 1,000 soldiers Russia The nearly four-year-old conflict continues to exact a heavy toll on both sides in the latest exchange of war casualties.
Russia and Ukraine confirmed the exchange on Thursday, which was described as part of an agreement reached before the war to allow families to bury those killed on the battlefield.
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Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky said that “within the framework of the Istanbul agreement, the bodies of 1,000 dead Ukrainian soldiers have been transferred to Ukraine”, adding that “The bodies of 38 dead Russian soldiers have been transferred to Russia.
Ukraine’s Coordinating Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War confirmed the handover and said in a statement that “returns took place today, as part of which a thousand bodies were returned to Ukraine”.
Deep freeze after Russian attacks on energy infrastructure
The war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, shows no signs of abating, even as the winter deepens and conditions worsen for civilians.
Ukraine’s state meteorological agency warned on Thursday that temperatures could drop to -30C (-22F) in the coming days, increasing the impact of Russian attacks on energy infrastructure.
The Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center said the coldest nights are expected between February 1 and 3, raising concerns about heating and electricity supplies already strained by frequent missile and drone attacks.
Russian attacks on power facilities have previously left millions of Ukrainians without heating, electricity and water, bringing parts of the country close to a humanitarian crisis.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned on Wednesday evening that Russia was preparing new large-scale attacks on energy targets. Officials in the city of Kiev said 613 buildings in the capital were left unheated following recent airstrikes.
Moscow is the only place for the Kremlin Putin-Zelensky meeting
Against this backdrop, diplomatic maneuvering continues, though the prospects for success remain uncertain.
The Kremlin said on Thursday that Moscow was the only place for a possible face-to-face meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelensky, and ruled out discussion of alternative venues.
The comments follow those of Putin’s aide Yuri Ushakov, who said Zelensky had expressed an interest in meeting the Russian leader in person and that Moscow had never ruled out such contact.
The idea of a meeting has been floated several times, including phone conversations between Putin and US President Donald Trump, Ushakov said.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiha said Zelensky was ready to meet Putin to discuss the most sensitive issues in Kiev’s 20-point peace plan, including regional issues and the future of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant.
Russia and Ukraine held US-brokered consultations in Abu Dhabi last weekend, with a second round scheduled for Sunday in the United Arab Emirates.