Is Ukraine Delaying the Prisoner Swap?

Moscow, June 7 (NationPress) On Saturday, Russia accused Ukraine of postponing a planned exchange of prisoners and the transfer of the remains of deceased soldiers indefinitely.

According to Russian Presidential Aide Vladimir Medinsky, Russia has submitted an initial list of 640 prisoners to Ukraine and started the process of returning the bodies of fallen Ukrainian soldiers. However, Ukrainian representatives failed to show up at the designated exchange location.

He urged Ukraine to "strictly follow the agreed schedule and all established agreements, and to commence the exchange without delay."

As reported by Xinhua news agency, Kiev has not yet provided a response to these allegations.

Previously, on June 2, during negotiations in Istanbul, Russia and Ukraine had reached a consensus on another significant prisoner exchange, as stated by head of the Russian Delegation, Vladimir Medinsky.

Medinsky mentioned that this arrangement would involve a comprehensive "all-for-all" exchange of severely ill and injured detainees, alongside soldiers younger than 25 years. He emphasized that at least 1,000 prisoners from each side are anticipated to be included in this exchange, labeling the agreement a "humanitarian gesture."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also confirmed that a prisoner exchange under a "500-for-500" framework is scheduled for this weekend.

Furthermore, the official indicated that Moscow plans to return 6,000 bodies of fallen soldiers to Ukraine next week.

"We have specifically suggested a ceasefire lasting 2 to 3 days in select areas along the front line," he mentioned during a briefing after the negotiations, adding that Russian military experts would collaborate with their Ukrainian counterparts to facilitate the recovery of fallen soldiers' remains.

During the lengthy discussions, which exceeded an hour, both sides resolved several "practical issues," as noted by Medinsky. He affirmed that Moscow and Kiev agreed to establish permanent medical commissions to regularly compile lists of critically injured soldiers and streamline their exchanges.

He confirmed that Russia provided a two-part memorandum to Ukraine, detailing the steps towards achieving enduring peace and a ceasefire.

Medinsky also disclosed that Ukraine submitted a list of 339 children who have been separated from their parents due to the ongoing conflict, assuring that Moscow would diligently investigate each case. He noted that Russia has recently returned 101 children, while 22 children have come back from the Ukrainian side.

On Monday, Russian and Ukrainian delegations held their second direct talks in Istanbul, following their first meeting earlier in May. The parties agreed on a significant prisoner exchange and to exchange draft memorandums outlining potential terms for a future peace agreement during the discussions.