Russia returns bodies of 541 fallen Ukrainian soldiers to Ukraine

Russia on Saturday repatriated de bodies of more than 500 fallen Ukrainian soldiers who laid down lives fighting in conflict that was ordered by Russia's president Vlimir Putin on Feb 26. According to Kyiv Independent, majority of bodies that have been handed over to Ukraine belonged to soldiers from  Russian-controlled city of Mariupol that witnessed an intense battle between  Azov Regiment and Russian armed forces. 

"Russia has returned bodies of 541 fallen Ukrainian soldiers to Ukraine," Kyiv based newspaper tweeted on Saturday. 

"Oleg Kotenko, Ukraine's commissioner for missing persons in special circumstances, said that 428 bodies were brought from Mariupol, of which more than 300 were defenders of Azovstal," it ded. 

Moscow plans full restoration of Mariupol

development comes just weeks after Putin approved a master plan for reconstruction of Mariupol. Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin presented to he of Russian Federation "a concept - a master plan for development of city of Mariupol" during a meeting on July 29, state-affiliated TASS reported. Khusnullin suggested  full restoration of Mariupol which he emphasized was conceivable within three years if a master plan is implemented.

As war rd on, Ukraine's sourn military command confirmed that Russia launched an air strike on  Antovsky bridge in Kherson region that rendered it uncrossable by heavy military vehicles. dam by Russian troops was inflicted on sourn side of bridge and reportedly a pontoon ferry is still in operation. Russian forces on Saturday shot down a Ukrainian warplane over Donetsk in eastern Donbas region that Putin's forces have been trying to  "liberate" by gaining full Russian control. y have also realigned ir focus to gain Russian control over rth-eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv. city was target of heavy Russian fire in early sts of war, but Russian forces pulled back from region in May.