Thirteen and 137 bodies were brought back from the Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia sectors, respectively. Another 34 bodies were repatriated from morgues in Russia.The Geneva Conventions say that those killed in war are entitled to a dignified burial. "Law enforcement officials and forensic experts will identify the victims as soon as possible," the headquarters wrote.The operation to recover the bodies involved several government and military agencies, including the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the Interior Ministry, the State Emergency Service, and the Armed Forces.The headquarters also thanked the International Committee of the Red Cross for its assistance.In December 2024, Ukraine repatriated the bodies of 503 fallen soldiers, mostly from Donetsk Oblast.President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Dec. 8 that about 43,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed during the full-scale invasion.Investigation: How Russia profits from arms exports to Saudi Arabia despite sanctionsFew agreements are shrouded in more secrecy than inter-government arms deals — especially when one of the parties is a global pariah leading a bloody war.