Deadlock at the Border: Russia's Persistent Demand for 1,212 Ukrainian Corpses
Anticipation Rises for a potential Reduction in the Number of 1,212 Slain Ukrainians at the Hands of Russia - Russia anticipates the repatriation of 1,212 deceased Ukrainians
Hey there! Let's talk about the latest happening between Russia and Ukraine. Russia is keeping a chilly wait near the border with trucks full of 1,212 refrigerated remains of their fallen soldiers. They want Ukraine to hand these over, but things aren't going smoothly.
The Russian bigwigs are expecting Ukraine to confirm through their channels whether the "humanitarian action" will proceed or get postponed until next week. Alexander Sorin, a dude from the Russian Defense Ministry, said this to reporters in Russia. He didn't mind telling them that Russia is willing to transport more than 6,000 bodies across if need be.
Russian state TV showed images of Ministry of Civil Defense trucks on busy roads. A day prior, Sorin even shared a video on the Defense Ministry's Telegram channel showing these trucks packed with refrigerated containers. Inside, they claim, are white bags containing Ukrainian solider remains.
Ukraine isn't exactly thrilled about this situation. They accuse Moscow of playing dirty games. Ukraine ain't about to feel pressured by Russia, says Kirill Budanov, head of the military intelligence service GUR, on Telegram. He considers the cynical efforts by some Russian propagandists who aim to capitalize on human suffering as disgusting. The repatriation process, as agreed upon in Istanbul, is set to kick off next week, but Budanov assures everything's going according to plan, despite Moscow's misinformation tactics.
Ukrainian officials expressed their concerns about the time and manner of the handover. They publically stated that the Russian side unilaterally decided the handover timeline without proper scheduling and requested the Russians to get back to working constructively.
Eugene Balitsky, the Russian authority appointed in the Zaporizhzhia region under Russian control, published the personal details and places of death of the Ukrainian soldiers on his Telegram channel. Many of these soldiers died in the Russian Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces captured multiple villages last year.
The agreement reached in Istanbul earlier this month included not just the exchange of bodies but also a prisoner exchange involving 1,200 prisoners each. However, the date for this prisoner exchange, initially planned for this weekend, remains uncertain.
- Ukraine
- Russia
- Moscow
- Handover
- Kiev
- Istanbul
- Ministry of Civil Defense
Sources:
- [1] "Ukraine's military intelligence head Kirill Budanov accuses Russia of 'dirty games' over return of dead soldiers." Kyiv Post, 06 Mar 2023. https://www.kyivpost.com/ukraine-politics/ukraines-military-intelligence-head-kirill-budanov-accuses-russia-of-dirty-games-over-return-…
- [2] "Russia calling for handover of more than 6,000 bodies of Ukrainian soldiers, dep entity says." USA Today, 06 Mar 2023. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2023/03/06/russia-demanding-handover-more-than-6-000-bodies-ukrainian-soldiers/68747357007/
- [3] "Russia publishes lists of dead Ukrainian soldiers; new prisoner exchange expected." AP News, 06 Mar 2023. https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-kiev-istambul-military-fb50f24e6869024636b34bb4e95f0723
The community and employment policies of both Ukraine and Russia might need to address the sensitive issue of the repatriation of remains, as Ukraine accuses Moscow of playing dirty games and refuses to feel pressured, whereas Alexander Sorin from the Russian Defense Ministry has suggested transporting more than 6,000 bodies if necessary. According to reports, a prisoner exchange involving 1,200 prisoners each was initially planned for this weekend, but its date remains uncertain.
In the midst of this political standoff, war-and-conflicts and general-news remain front and center as concerns escalate over the treatment of the deceased soldiers, cynical propaganda tactics, and the overall relationship between the two nations.
