Kyiv accuses Moscow of rigging repatriated bodies with explosives
Ukrainian forensic experts have repeatedly discovered explosive devices hidden inside the remains of fallen soldiers repatriated from Russia.
Taras Tarasenko, a senior police official in central Ukraine’s Kirovohrad region, accused Moscow of violating international repatriation agreements. The regional headquarters serves as a primary hub where returned remains undergo detailed forensic examinations.
Safety protocols disrupted by booby-traps
Forensic teams are now forced to begin every examination by sweeping bodies for hidden ammunition and traps.
"Such cases have occurred repeatedly," Tarasenko told the Ukrinform news agency. "We have found explosive devices, grenades, and other hazards, so we operate with extreme caution."
The identification process faces further complications as the remains of multiple individuals are frequently mixed within a single transport. Experts must regularly rely on DNA testing to separate and identify the soldiers.
The fragile state of humanitarian cooperation
The repatriation of fallen soldiers remains one of the few functional areas of humanitarian cooperation between Kyiv and Moscow since the 2022 invasion.
During a recent exchange on June 18, Ukraine received 522 bodies identified by Russia as Ukrainian servicemen. In return, Kyiv transferred the remains of 33 Russian soldiers back to Moscow.
However, Ukrainian officials noted that Russia has previously included its own dead soldiers within Ukrainian cohorts. Internal Affairs Minister Ihor Klymenko previously suggested this practice either represents an attempt to inflate official return metrics or reflects a negligent attitude by Russia toward its own deceased personnel.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
