Ukraine returns bodies of 44 more fallen defenders

Oleh Kotenko, Ukraine's Commissioner for Persons Missing under Special Circumstances, said this in a post on Telegram, Ukrinform reports.

"The bodies of service members who gave their lives for Ukraine were handed over. Today, the bodies of 44 defenders were returned to their families," he said.

The repatriation of the bodies took place with the assistance of the Ministry for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories, the Commissioner for Persons Missing under Special Circumstances, in cooperation with the Joint Center of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the Department of Civilian-Military Cooperation of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and other law enforcement agencies, departments, and international organizations.

Kotenko said the process of returning the bodies of dead Ukrainian soldiers was taking place in accordance with the norms of the Geneva Convention.

On July 14, Ukraine returned the bodies of 62 defenders.