Ukrainian soldiers buried in Lviv after dying in captivity during transfer for exchange

This was reported on Facebook by the 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade named after King Danylo.

"Lviv. 12 soldiers of the Royal Brigade perished. The Garrison Church of Saints Peter and Paul. Joint prayer and farewell to our brothers who died in captivity in the crash of the Russian Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft on January 24, 2024. The circumstances of the tragedy on enemy territory are still being investigated," the post says.

The following people died in the Ilyushin Il-76 plane crash: Vladyslav Bobrovskyi, Bohdan Dudiak, Nazar Kovalyk, Yaroslav Kryvano, Oleh Kuzma, Serhii Levkiv, Ivan Okhapskyi, Nazar Petrykiv, Yaroslav Sobolev, Deuran Tailakov, Mykolai Trukhan, and Ivan Fedeka.

It is noted that their bodies have only now been returned.

All of them fought in the 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade, carried out combat missions, and were captured by the Russians.

The youngest soldier of the twelve was 26 years old, and the oldest was 56.

“Today, we laid them to rest. In their motherland. At home,” the statement said.

As reported, a POW exchange between Ukraine and Russia was supposed to take place on January 24, 2024, but it was canceled. Later, the Russian side reported that the Il-76 transporting the prisoners for exchange was shot down over the Belgorod Region. The Russian Federation also published lists of the dead, which included the names of 65 Ukrainian military personnel.

In November, the bodies of those who were allegedly on board the downed plane were returned to Ukraine. All this time, relatives waited for official confirmation of their deaths after the relevant examination.

At least 56 soldiers whose deaths have been confirmed are known to have been on the Russian lists.

The first photo: Anastasia Smolienko, Ukrinform