Kiev has delayed the swap of captive individuals and the receiving of the remains of the deceased, according to Medinsky's statement.
June 6 Prisoner Exchange between Russia and Ukraine Postponed
The anticipated prisoner exchange and body return between Russia and Ukraine, scheduled for June 6, has been unexpectedly postponed due to disagreements over the lists of prisoners to be exchanged.
The exchange, which is part of a 6,000 for 6,000 agreement, was expected to be the largest prisoner swap to date, with plans to exchange up to 1200 people from each side. However, the Ukrainian negotiation team did not arrive at the exchange site, and Ukraine unexpectedly postponed the acceptance of bodies.
Russia, led by negotiator Vladimir Medinsky, delivered over 1,212 frozen bodies of Ukrainian servicemen to the exchange site on June 6. In response, Ukraine handed over its list of prisoners, including seriously wounded and ill, but stated that Russia submitted different lists that did not meet the agreed parameters of the swap. This led Ukraine to withhold participation in the exchange until Russia addressed these discrepancies.
Medinsky called the reasons given for the postponement "quite strange," while Alexander Zorin, another Russian negotiator, reported the postponement and stated that three more trains and one automobile column with 1,200 bodies each were prepared for departure.
Ukraine denied Russia's accusations, stating that the Russian claims did not reflect the reality or prior agreements. The Ukrainian Defense Minister, Rustem Umerov, confirmed the body exchange agreement at a press conference on June 2.
This issue highlights ongoing challenges in implementing agreed prisoner exchanges despite formal negotiation rounds and prior agreements, including those reached in Istanbul earlier in July 2025.
In summary: - Ukraine passed a list of prisoners conforming to agreed terms. - Russia submitted different lists not meeting those terms. - Ukraine expected Russia to revise the lists before proceeding. - Russia accused Ukraine of postponing and not arriving at the exchange. - Ukraine rejected Russia’s claim, insisting Russia must adhere to agreed parameters for the exchange to happen.
The total number of bodies to be exchanged will exceed 6,000, with the rest of the bodies en route. Both sides are expected to continue negotiations to resolve the discrepancies and carry out the exchange at a later date.
The postponement of the prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine on June 6 was due to disagreements over the lists of prisoners, leading to a standoff in the largest prisoner swap agreement to date. The ongoing politics of war-and-conflicts and general-news continue to impact the negotiations, with both sides expected to resume talks to resolve the discrepancies and carry out the exchange at a later date.
