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In Ukraine’s retaken battlefields, soldiers recover bodies

Ukrainian national guard servicemen place a bag containing the body of a Ukrainian soldier in a truck in an area near the border with Russia, in Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. This region of rolling fields and woodland near the Russian border was the site of fierce battles for months during the summer. Only now, after Ukrainian forces retook the area and pushed Russian troops back across the border in a blistering counteroffensive, has the collection of bodies that lie scattered across the battlefield been possible. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

A Ukrainian national guard serviceman washes his hands next to the body of a Ukrainian soldier in an area near the border with Russia, in Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. Only now, after Ukrainian forces retook the area and pushed Russian troops back across the border in a blistering counteroffensive, has the collection of bodies that lie scattered across the battlefield been possible. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Ukrainian national guard servicemen stand next to bags containing the bodies of seven Ukrainian soldiers recovered from an area near the border with Russia, in Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. Only now, after Ukrainian forces retook the area and pushed Russian troops back across the border in a blistering counteroffensive, has the collection of bodies that lie scattered across the battlefield been possible. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Ukrainian national guard servicemen walk on a field during an operation to rescue bodies of Ukrainian soldiers in an area near the border with Russia, in Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Ukrainian national guard servicemen place the body of a Ukrainian soldier in a bag at an area near the border with Russia, in Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. Only now, after Ukrainian forces retook the area and pushed Russian troops back across the border in a blistering counteroffensive, has the collection of bodies that lie scattered across the battlefield been possible. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Ukrainian national guard servicemen carry a bag containing the body of a Ukrainian soldier in an area near the border with Russia, in Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. Only now, after Ukrainian forces retook the area and pushed Russian troops back across the border in a blistering counteroffensive, has the collection of bodies that lie scattered across the battlefield been possible. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Ukrainian servicemen check the site where a body of a Ukrainian soldier was found inside an armored vehicle in an area near the border with Russia, in Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. This region of rolling fields and woodland near the Russian border was the site of fierce battles for months during the summer. Only now, after Ukrainian forces retook the area and pushed Russian troops back across the border in a blistering counteroffensive, has the collection of bodies that lie scattered across the battlefield been possible. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

A flack jacket is seen at the site where the bodies of four Ukrainian soldiers were found lying on the ground near the border with Russia, in Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. The four soldiers lie in the grass, sleeping bags and cans of food, some opened, others still sealed, scattered around them. Beneath the trees, their cars stand smashed and torn by shrapnel. The men have been dead for months. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Ukrainian servicemen walk across a field during an operation to rescue bodies of Ukrainian soldiers in an area near the border with Russia, in Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. This region of rolling fields and woodland near the Russian border was the site of fierce battles for months during the summer. Only now, after Ukrainian forces retook the area and pushed Russian troops back across the border in a blistering counteroffensive, has the collection of bodies that lie scattered across the battlefield been possible. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

A Ukrainian serviceman looks for booby traps as he checks the site where a body of a Ukrainian soldier was found inside an armored vehicle in an area near the border with Russia, in Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

A Ukrainian national guard serviceman checks for unexploded devices during an operation to rescue bodies of Ukrainian soldiers in an area near the border with Russia, in Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. Once the deminers have finished, a soldier goes through the pockets of the dead men's uniforms for identity cards and personal belongings, placing them carefully in a separate plastic bag before the decomposing bodies are lifted into the body bags. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

A Ukrainian national guard serviceman stands atop a destroyed Russian tank in an area near the border with Russia, in Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. This region of rolling fields and woodland near the Russian border was the site of fierce battles for months during the summer. Only now, after Ukrainian forces retook the area and pushed Russian troops back across the border in a blistering counteroffensive, has the collection of bodies that lie scattered across the battlefield been possible. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Ukrainian national guard servicemen place the body of a Ukrainian soldier in a bag at an area where three other bodies were lying on the ground, near the border with Russia, in Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. The four soldiers lie in the grass, sleeping bags and cans of food, some opened, others still sealed, scattered around them. Beneath the trees, their cars stand smashed and torn by shrapnel. The men have been dead for months. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Ukrainian national guard servicemen carry a bag containing the body of a Ukrainian soldier in an area near the border with Russia, in Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. This region of rolling fields and woodland near the Russian border was the site of fierce battles for months during the summer. Only now, after Ukrainian forces retook the area and pushed Russian troops back across the border in a blistering counteroffensive, has the collection of bodies that lie scattered across the battlefield been possible. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

A Ukrainian national guard serviceman closes the bag containing the body of a Ukrainian soldier who was removed from an armored vehicle in an area near the border with Russia, in Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. This region of rolling fields and woodland near the Russian border was the site of fierce battles for months during the summer. Only now, after Ukrainian forces retook the area and pushed Russian troops back across the border in a blistering counteroffensive, has the collection of bodies that lie scattered across the battlefield been possible. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

In Ukraine’s retaken battlefields, soldiers recover bodies