As of 12 June, Russia has returned 220 bodies of Mariupol defenders to Ukraine. However, due to their poor condition, it will take months to identify them, an ex-commander of the Azov regiment, Maksym Zhorin, has said on Facebook.
"Two exchanges of bodies have already taken place. The first one was 160 for 160, i.e. we were able to recover 160 bodies of Ukrainian heroes from the territory of Azovstal and, in return, gave 160 dead katsaps (Ukrainian slur describing russian invaders - translator's note). This seems to be the largest exchange of bodies during this war," he said.
The second exchange took place recently, during which Ukraine recovered almost 60 bodies. All of them are now in Kyiv. The complex process of identifying the bodies is starting now as they are in a dire condition. It is impossible to visually identify the dead.
"The Azov patronage service is taking an active part in these processes to facilitate this work for all services, to speed up the situation and the process. They are at maximum capacity within this process," said the regiment's ex-commander.
According to him, the identification will take a long time because of the complex examinations and DNA analyses that will be required.
"I think it will probably take several months for us to identify each Ukrainian hero accurately and without doubt," Zhorin said.
He added that almost as many bodies are still to be recovered from Mariupol. Negotiations on the next exchange are underway. About a third of the bodies already exchanged belong to the Azov fighters. There are also dead marines, police officers, border guards and State Security Service officers. Chevrons and clothes suggest their affiliation, but personal identification will take a long time.
Zhorin noted that the talks would continue until all servicemen are exchanged. He recalled the Azovstal defenders who were moved to the area temporarily controlled by russia and should be returned to Ukraine.
Let us remind you that one of Mariupol’s defenders, photographer of the Azov regiment, Dmytro "Orest" Kozatskyy, was awarded a special Polish prize, Grand Press Photo 2022. He received it for a series of photographs from Azovstal.