Ukraine Refutes Claims of Major War Dead Exchange Initiating

Ukrainian officials rejected claims made by pro-Russian representatives on Friday, which suggested that a significant operation had commenced for the return of deceased soldiers’ remains from both nations.

«The assertions made by the representatives of the aggressor nation about the supposed initiation of body repatriation efforts under the Istanbul agreements are not accurate,» stated Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War in a message shared on Telegram.

Earlier the same day, Vladimir Rogov, a pro-Kremlin figure in the occupied Zaporizhzhia region, claimed that Russia had received the remains of 42 soldiers in exchange for 503 Ukrainian troops’ bodies. This assertion has not been verified by Moscow.

Delegates from Russia and Ukraine convened in Istanbul on Monday, where they were unable to establish a ceasefire but did agree on a new prisoner exchange and the return of 6,000 deceased soldiers from each side.

“The arrangements are still ongoing for the transfer of critically ill and injured individuals, as well as the repatriation of the remains of fallen defenders,” the Coordination Headquarters noted. “Any one-sided statements or actions from the aggressor state’s representatives are merely another effort to exploit a sensitive and crucial issue.”

Since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Russia and Ukraine have regularly exchanged prisoners and the remains of fallen soldiers. Since October, the two countries have completed at least nine body exchanges, each involving 500 or more soldiers.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky indicated in February that more than 46,000 Ukrainian soldiers had died in the conflict since early 2022. While Russia has not updated its official military death figures since 2022, independent sources estimate that confirmed Russian casualties exceed 111,000.