14 hours ago
Russia-Ukraine prisoner exchange delayed
Shafaq News/ On Saturday, the largest prisoner swap between Russia and Ukraine collapsed, with both sides trading accusations over the sudden delay.
Russia blamed Ukraine for postponing the exchange at the last minute, claiming it had already begun a large-scale humanitarian operation to repatriate the remains of more than 6,000 Ukrainian servicemen.
Lieutenant General Aleksandr Zorin, a member of Russia's negotiation team, revealed that the exchange was arranged under an "everyone-for-everyone" formula, covering wounded and seriously ill prisoners as well as those under the age of 25, adding that Moscow had provided Kyiv with a list of 640 prisoners for return and was prepared to proceed 'in accordance with agreements reached in Istanbul on June 2.'
The Russian Defense Ministry also released footage on Telegram showing sealed body bags inside refrigerated trucks, which officials said contained the remains of Ukrainian soldiers.
However, Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War rejected Moscow's version of events, saying no date had been agreed for the handover of bodies and that the processes of prisoner exchange and repatriation were separate.
The collapse of the planned prisoner exchange came amid a surge in Russian aerial attacks across Ukraine, including a massive overnight bombardment that killed at least six people and wounded over 60.
