Russia on Sunday accused Ukraine of stalling a planned exchange of 6,000 fallen soldiers, claiming Kyiv had yet to confirm its participation despite earlier agreements. Russian officials said they had already transported over 1,200 bodies of Ukrainian troops to a designated border site but were receiving “signals” of a delay until next week.
Lt. Gen. Alexander Zorin, part of Russia’s negotiation team, reiterated that Moscow was prepared for the swap and waiting for Ukraine’s formal confirmation. The body exchange had been discussed during direct talks in Istanbul earlier in the week, though the negotiations failed to produce progress on ending the war itself.
Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky said Ukraine abruptly called off the exchange just as Russian trucks arrived at the border. Ukraine, however, pushed back, accusing Russia of distorting facts and claiming no date had been officially set. Kyiv also criticized Moscow for submitting inaccurate lists of war casualties and prisoners for repatriation.
Meanwhile, Russia and Ukraine continued deadly aerial exchanges. In Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, Russian airstrikes killed one person and wounded another on Sunday, following Saturday’s attacks that left at least four dead and over two dozen injured. Ukraine’s air force reported intercepting or jamming 40 of 49 drones launched by Russia overnight.
Russia’s defense ministry claimed it downed 61 Ukrainian drones, including some near Moscow. A drone strike in Russia’s Tula region wounded two and caused a fire at a chemical plant.
With both sides blaming each other and fresh violence escalating, hopes for humanitarian gestures like the body exchange remain uncertain.
