Russia has accused Ukraine of violating a recent agreement to exchange prisoners of war (POWs) and repatriate the bodies of fallen soldiers, claiming that Kiev unexpectedly postponed the operation set to begin on Saturday. Ukraine, however, has firmly denied the allegations, accusing Moscow of manipulation and failing to adhere to the agreed terms.
Vladimir Medinsky, Russia’s lead negotiator at the peace talks with Ukraine, said on Telegram that Moscow had launched a humanitarian operation on June 6 based on the Istanbul agreements, aiming to transfer over 6,000 bodies of Ukrainian soldiers and exchange POWs categorised as wounded, critically ill, or under the age of 25.
"The first batch of 1,212 frozen soldier corpses of Ukraine's armed forces has already arrived in refrigerated trucks at the exchange site. Additional shipments are on the way," Medinsky stated, adding that Ukraine had also received the initial list of 640 Russian-held POWs intended for exchange.
Medinsky claimed that despite preparations and the arrival of Russian personnel at the border, the Ukrainian delegation did not appear, and Kiev postponed the process "indefinitely," citing "rather strange" explanations. He called on Ukraine to honour the agreement, allow the return of the fallen, and enable the return of young soldiers and officers to their families.
"Russia always keeps its promises," he said, urging international media to verify Russia’s readiness on site.
‘Dirty games’
Ukraine swiftly rejected Moscow’s accusations. In a statement released Saturday, Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War denied any delay on its part, saying no fixed date had been finalised for the exchange.
It accused Russia of “dirty games” and “manipulations,” arguing that Moscow itself had not complied with the mutually agreed parameters of the deal. The statement did not provide specific details about the alleged discrepancies.
The conflicting narratives highlight the deep mistrust that continues to cloud negotiations between the two sides, even as limited humanitarian gestures such as POW exchanges remain critical amidst the ongoing conflict.
While Russia insists it is ready and waiting at the exchange site, Ukraine maintains that the process has been undermined by Russia's deviation from the agreed framework. There is no indication yet of when, or if, the exchange will go ahead.
