![50 for 50: Ukraine and Russia exchange bodies of fallen soldiers in Zaporizhya Oblast 50 for 50: Ukraine and Russia exchange bodies of fallen soldiers in Zaporizhya Oblast](https://www.ukrainianworldcongress.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/exchange-of-bodies.png)
The Ministry for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories reported that the exchange was the result of negotiations led by the Commissioner for Persons Missing under Special Circumstances Oleh Kotenko. Thirty-seven of the 50 bodies belong to Azovstal defenders.
Two days earlier, the Main Intelligence Department of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reported that Ukraine has been able to retrieve 210 bodies of its defenders since the beginning of the Russian invasion: “To date, we’ve managed to retrieve 210 of our soldiers. Most of them are heroic defenders of Azovstal. All the dead must be returned to the territory controlled by Ukraine, and each of them will be laid to rest with homage appropriate for the heroes.”
Meanwhile, work continues to return all captured Ukrainian defenders.