Russia accuses Ukraine of delaying prisoner exchange

RT reported on June 7 that Russian Lieutenant General Alexander Zorin said that Ukraine had delayed the prisoner exchange according to the agreement reached earlier with Russia.

"Russia has handed over a list of 640 Ukrainian prisoners of war who are seriously wounded, seriously ill and under 25 years old to Kiev, but so far, Ukraine has not set a date for the exchange," said Lieutenant General Zorin, a member of the Russian negotiating delegation in Istanbul (Türkiye).

Russian Lieutenant General Alexander Zorin. Photo: Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.

In addition, Russia also decided to unilaterally return the remains of more than 6,000 Ukrainian soldiers killed in action to Kiev. According to Mr. Zorin, Moscow began the process of repatriating the bodies of Ukrainian soldiers on June 6.

"The first bodies of 1,212 Ukrainian soldiers have been transported by specialized trucks to the exchange area on the border between the two countries. Four other convoys, each carrying 1,200 bodies, are also ready to be returned to Kiev," Mr. Zorin informed.

However, the Ukrainian side did not receive the body.

On June 7, Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinsky said Ukraine did not accept the bodies of the dead soldiers, was not even present at the exchange area, and gave "strange reasons".

"We call on Ukraine to strictly adhere to the schedule and agreements reached and immediately take the next steps in the exchange process so that the wounded soldiers can return home and the deceased can be buried," Medinsky said.

However, Ukraine denied Russia's accusations.

"The statements from the Russian side do not correspond to reality and are inconsistent with previous agreements on the exchange of prisoners and the repatriation of soldiers' bodies," Andriy Kovalenko, an official of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, wrote on Telegram.

>>> Readers are invited to watch a video about the second round of direct Russia-Ukraine negotiations in Istanbul