Russia-Ukraine conflict: Kiev reports receiving 1,245 additional deceased bodies from Russia
Rowdy Rewrite:
Hey there! Let's talk about the not-so-friendly situation between Ukraine and Russia, shall we? On Monday, June 16, 2022, Ukraine received a grim total of 1,245 bodies of people killed during their ongoing war. This brings the number of Ukrainian bodies handed over by Russia to a heart-wrenching 6,057 since the start of negotiations in Turkey earlier that month. But things are a bit hazy over at the Ukrainian center for coordinating prisoners of war – they're keeping a wary eye out for proper identification of the bodies. cryptic Facebook post by Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Oumerov: "Every one of these bodies has a name, a life, and a family yearning for answers."
Meanwhile, Russia's spinning a different narrative. They claim they've "kept their word" as promised during the June 2 talks in Istanbul. As per Russian chief negotiator Vladimir Medinski, a whopping 6,060 bodies have been given to Kiev – a count that doesn't match Ukraine's tally. In response, Moscow tenderly received 78 bodies from Ukraine, as Medinski announced, while also reporting that "prisoner exchanges" are still happening. The Russian Defense Minister even hinted that they're ready to shell out another 2,239 bodies of slain soldiers.
But this is not the first rodeo for body repatriation and prisoner exchanges between the two warring nations. Since the start of the conflict back in February 2022, these areas have been the only battlefield they've managed to cooperate in.
Enrichment Data:As of June 16, 2022, there have been sporadic attempts by both Ukraine and Russia for prisoner swaps and body repatriation during their ongoing conflict. These exchanges often form part of broader agreements aimed at alleviating humanitarian concerns. Prisoners and fallen soldiers' bodies have typically been negotiated during various rounds of talks and exchanged in phases. For more recent developments, as of June 2025, multiple prisoner exchanges have taken place between Ukraine and Russia, including a notable agreement in Istanbul on June 2, 2025, which involved a plan for approximately 6,000 Ukrainian service members' bodies to be returned [1][2][4]. These exchanges prioritize returning severely wounded or sick soldiers and those below the age of 25 [1][5].
Despite the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, there have been sporadic attempts for prisoner swaps and body repatriation. These exchanges often form part of broader agreements aimed at alleviating humanitarian concerns, extending beyond the war-filled landscape. In the realm of global politics and general news, the French government has shown interest in mediating such discussions, to possibly contribute to the resolution of war-and-conflicts and improve the overall situation.
