Heated Exchange: Kyiv Slams Moscow for Stalling Prisoner Swap, Accuses Them of "Dirty Games"
Moscow allegedly plays "underhanded tactics" during prisoner swap negotiations, according to Kiev's claims.
In the midst of stalled ceasefire negotiations, Ukraine and Russia are locked in a battle of words over the exchange of thousands of prisoners and returning deceased soldiers' remains. According to sources in Kyiv, the prisoner exchange has been delayed not by Ukraine itself, but by Russia unilaterally setting a handover date without prior agreement.
Russian chief negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, has accused Ukraine of stalling the prisoner exchange and preventing the return of soldiers' remains. He claims that Moscow's representatives have 1,212 bodies in waiting at the handover point, with the rest on the way. However, Ukrainian representatives are reportedly missing.
In response, the Ukrainian coordination staff in Kyiv has dismissed these accusations and accused Moscow of playing "dirty games." Andriy Kowalenko of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine writes on Telegram, "The statements by the Russian side today do not correspond to reality or previous agreements on the exchange of prisoners or the return of bodies."
The prisoner exchange was agreed upon during talks in Istanbul, following the second round of direct negotiations since May. The large-scale exchange, which included the release of 1,000 soldiers and civilians on each side, marked the first direct negotiations about ending the war since 2022.
However, the exchange agreement has sparked some controversy. Ukraine has handed over its list for the exchange to the Russian side, but the lists reportedly do not match the terms of the agreement, with Moscow allegedly including prisoners not part of the agreement.
Reports suggest that the exchange is being conducted in phases, with the first stage executed on June 9. According to sources, the exchange is expected to continue over the coming days.
Despite the ongoing exchange, tensions remain high between the two nations, with each making accusations of bad faith and manipulation against the other. This comes as no surprise, given the ongoing information warfare between Ukraine and Russia.
Sources:
- ntv.de
- gut/dpa/rts
Keywords:
- Ukraine
- Attack on Ukraine
- Russia
- Prisoners of war
- Wars and conflicts
- Istanbul
- Peace talks
- Military
Insights:
- The current prisoner swap arrangement between Ukraine and Russia involves an "all-for-all" exchange of seriously ill and wounded prisoners and soldiers under the age of 25.
- The exchange agreement has been subject to disputes and potential for dirty games, with delays, conflicting lists, and disagreements over returned bodies being key issues.
- Ongoing public statements by both sides accusing the other of bad faith or manipulation reflect the ongoing information warfare between Ukraine and Russia.
- The heated public exchange between Ukraine and Russia over the prisoner swap has led Kyiv to accuse Moscow of playing "dirty games," disputing the Russian claims that Ukraine is delaying the exchange and preventing the return of deceased soldiers' remains.
- Apart from the ongoing prisoner exchange, the politics surrounding war-and-conflicts, such as the ones in Ukraine, are often fraught with controversy and general-news development, including discrepancies in prisoner lists and returned bodies, as well as accusations of bad faith and manipulation from both sides.
