160 Bodies of Russian and Ukrainian War Dead Exchanged, Returning to Homeland After 100 Days...

On the 2nd (local time), newly established graves with signs reading 'Unknown' are placed at a cemetery in Mariupol, Ukraine. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] Foreign media reported that Russia and Ukraine exchanged the bodies of fallen soldiers for the first time since the outbreak of the war.

According to Bloomberg on the 4th (local time), Ukraine's Ministry for Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories announced this on the 2nd, a day before the 100th day since the war began.

On that day, both sides reportedly exchanged about 160 bodies of fallen soldiers at a contact point in the Zaporizhzhia region in southeastern Ukraine.

Earlier, Ukraine also announced that four foreign volunteer fighters who fought against Russian forces had died. On the 4th, the UK Guardian reported that the International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine (ILDU) issued a statement conveying this news of the fallen.

According to the report, the volunteer fighters who died were identified as Ronald Vogelaar (55, Netherlands), Michael O'Neill (47, Australia), Wilfried Bleriot (32, France), and Bjorn Benjamin Klawis (Germany). However, the exact time and circumstances of their deaths have not been specifically disclosed.

The ILDU mourned, saying, "We lost our brothers in battle, but their courage, memory, and legacy will forever inspire us."

Meanwhile, the war that began with Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24 has entered a protracted phase as it continues beyond 100 days.

According to major foreign media on the 5th, Russian forces launched a large-scale missile strike on Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, for the first time in 38 days. Russia's attack on Kyiv was the first since it was carried out during UN Secretary-General Ant?nio Guterres' visit to Kyiv on April 28. Until now, Russia had struggled to advance in Kyiv and northern Ukraine and had focused its attacks on eastern and southern regions.

The Ukrainian military announced a successful counterattack in Severodonetsk, a strategic point in the eastern Donbas region. According to Serhiy Haidai, governor of Luhansk Province, fierce battles are ongoing in the eastern part of Severodonetsk, which had been more than 80% controlled by Russian forces.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.