Russia claims to have handed over to Ukraine the remains of 1,000 soldiers
The exchange of combatant remains is one of the few areas of cooperation between Kiev and Moscow since the start of Russia's full-scale offensive against its neighbor, a conflict that this week entered its fifth year.
Ukrainian workers remove debris after a Russian attack.
Russia announced Thursday the delivery to Ukraine of the remains of 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers killed in combat, in an exchange in which Moscow received the bodies of 35 Russian servicemen, a Kremlin aide said.
"The bodies of 1,000 Ukrainian servicemen were handed over to Ukraine. Russia received in return the remains of 35 Russian servicemen," Vladimir Medinsky, a Kremlin adviser and negotiator, said on Telegram.
The official accompanied his message with a photograph showing people in white protective suits transferring mortuary bags from a refrigerated truck.
One of the few channels of cooperation
The exchange of combatant remains is one of the few areas of cooperation between Russia and Ukraine since the start of Russia's full-scale offensive against its neighbor, a conflict that this week entered its fifth year.
Despite the continuity of the fighting, both sides have maintained punctual mechanisms for the exchange of prisoners and the repatriation of bodies.
Talks in Geneva
The Kremlin economic advisor Kirill Dmitriev is also scheduled to hold contacts with the U.S. representatives.
Washington is pushing for a diplomatic solution to the conflict, which has left hundreds of thousands dead and wounded and caused vast damage to Ukrainian territory. Negotiations remain stalled, however, as Moscow demands that Kiev give up part of its occupied territories, a condition Ukraine rejects.
Ukraine accuses Russia of major air raid
Russia launched 420 drones and 39 missiles overnight -including 11 ballistic missiles- targeting critical infrastructure and residential areas in eight regions of Ukraine, President Volodymir Zelenski said.
"Destruction has been recorded in eight regions, with many private homes and apartment buildings damaged.(...) Gas infrastructure facilities in the Poltava region were also targeted, along with electrical substations in the Kyiv and Dnipro regions", Zelenski said.
">Last night, Russia once again waged war on critical infrastructure and ordinary residential buildings. 420 drones – most of them “shaheds” – and 39 missiles of various types, including 11 ballistic ones, were fired at our people. Destruction has been recorded in eight regions,… pic.twitter.com/cHm2oxhe0S
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 26, 2026
Authorities reported that dozens of people, including children, were injured, although no confirmed total was immediately released. The attack came as U.S. and Ukrainian envoys were preparing for further talks in Ginebra.
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