Russia anticipates the revival of 1,212 deceased Ukrainian citizens
Moscow — Russian officials are holding onto 1,212 chilled remains of fallen soldiers in trucks along the Ukrainian border, awaiting a word from Ukrainian channels regarding the acceptance of these remains. According to Alexander Sorin, a representative of the Russian Defense Ministry, they expect a response on whether the humanitarian action will proceed as planned or be delayed until next week. "We're more than ready to transport over 6,000 bodies in trucks – by road and by rail," declared the Lieutenant General[1].
Russian state television broadcasted images of white trucks belonging to the Ministry of Civil Defense hustling along a busy road. The day prior, Sorin shared a video via the Defense Ministry's Telegram channel, depicting the trucks equipped with refrigeration containers. Inside, there were white bags, rumored to contain the remains of Ukrainian soldiers[1].
Ukraine Responds: "Enough with the Manipulation"
Kiev, however, refuses to succumb to Moscow's pressure tactics. "The decision about who, when, and how to return the remains should not be left solely up to anyone," wrote Kirill Budanov, head of the military intelligence service HUR, on Telegram[2]. He denounced these "despicable attempts by certain Russian propagandists to capitalize on human suffering." The repatriation process, as previously agreed upon in Istanbul, is set to commence next week[1].
The Ukrainian coordination staff accused the Russian side of unilaterally setting the transfer time of remains without a predetermined schedule. They reiterated that all deceased soldiers would be returned home. In a Telegram message, the staff also condemned these "dirty games" and urged the Russian side to return to cooperative efforts[2].
The Russian Side Publishes Lists of the Departed
The occupation head appointed in the Russian-controlled part of the Ukrainian region of Saporischschja, Yevgeny Balitsky, published the personal details and locations of death for the fallen soldiers on his Telegram channel. Most of these soldiers, according to him, perished in the Russian region of Kursk, where Ukrainian forces captured scores of settlements in August of the preceding year. Russia reported significant losses among the Ukrainian troops during the recapture[1].
The exchange of these remains and a new prisoner swap with 1,200 prisoners on each side was agreed upon at the beginning of the month during direct negotiations between representatives of Kiev and Moscow in Istanbul. The dates for the prisoner exchange, initially intended for this weekend, remain unclear[1].
[1] - Source 1, Source 2
[2] - Source 1, Source 2
Enrichment Data:The repatriation of both Russian and Ukrainian soldiers' remains and the ongoing prisoner exchange were agreed upon during talks in Istanbul. The prisoner exchange, involving soldiers ranging in age from 18-25, particularly wounded or sick soldiers, began on Monday and was completed on Tuesday[1][2]. The exchange is anticipated to take place in multiple stages over the coming days, with plans to release over 1,000 wounded troops and captured soldiers under 25 from each side[2]. Furthermore, both sides agreed to exchange the remains of 6,000 fallen soldiers each[2]. However, specific details about the timing and location of the repatriation of remains beyond the prisoner exchanges are not provided in the available information.
The recent talks in Istanbul primarily centered around the prisoner exchange, with additional agreements on the repatriation of remains, but the exact schedule for the latter is not disclosed in the current reports[2].
Politics and general news reports suggest that the repatriation of both Russian and Ukrainian soldiers' remains, as well as a prisoner exchange, were agreed upon during talks in Istanbul. The prisoner exchange, involving soldiers ranging in age from 18-25, particularly wounded or sick soldiers, had commenced. Crime and justice issues were also addressed, with both sides agreeing to exchange the remains of 6,000 fallen soldiers each, although specific details about the timing and location of the repatriation of remains beyond the prisoner exchanges remain unclear.
