Russia hands Ukraine bodies of 1,000 soldiers

MOSCOW: Russia gave Ukraine the bodies of 1,000 soldiers on Thursday as part of an agreement reached at peace talks last month, officials said.

Two rounds of negotiations in Istanbul between Moscow and Kyiv have failed to result in any progress towards a ceasefire, instead yielding large-scale prisoner exchanges and deals to return the bodies of killed soldiers.

“The bodies of 1,000 deceased persons have been returned to Ukraine,” said a statement from Ukraine’s government body coordinating the treatment of prisoners of war.

It said Russia had claimed they were Ukrainian citizens, including soldiers, though Kyiv has previously accused Russia of handing over the bodies of killed Russian soldiers disguised as Ukrainians in repatriation deals.

Russian negotiator and Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky said Kyiv had transferred the remains of 19 killed Russian soldiers in return.

He posted photos showing people in white medical suits lifting white body bags from the back of refrigerated trucks.

Exchanges of captured soldiers and the repatriation of remains have taken place regularly throughout the conflict, among the few successful diplomatic initiatives between the sides.

Despite pressure from US President Donald Trump, Russia has rejected calls for a ceasefire and the two sides appear no closer to agreeing an end to the three-year conflict.

At talks last month, Russia outlined a list of hardline demands, including for Ukraine to cede more territory and to reject all forms of Western military support.

Kyiv dismissed them as unacceptable ultimatums and has questioned the point of further negotiations if Moscow is not willing to make concessions.