Ukrainian authorities on Friday rejected claims from pro-Russian authorities that the two nations had actually started a major operation to return the remains of fallen soldiers.Statements by agents of the assailant state claiming that the return of bodies or repatriation efforts have actually allegedly begun following the Istanbul arrangements do not show truth, Ukraines Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War said in a statement on Telegram.Earlier on Friday, Vladimir Rogov, a pro-Kremlin official in the occupied Zaporizhzhia region, saidthat Russia got the bodies of 42 soldiers in exchange for the remains of 503 Ukrainian soldiers.
Moscow did not publicly validate that claim.Russian and Ukrainian delegates satisfied in Istanbul on Monday, where they stopped working to reach a ceasefire in the war however consented to a brand-new prisoner swap and the return of 6,000 bodies of dead soldiers each.Preparations are still underway for the exchange of significantly ill and wounded people, young people and the return of the bodies of fallen defenders, Ukraines Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War said.Any unilateral declarations or actions by agents of the aggressor state are nothing more than another effort to control a delicate and crucial issue.Russia and Ukraine have routinely exchanged prisoners and the remains of fallen soldiers given that the early months of Moscows major intrusion in February 2022.
Since October, the 2 sides have actually performed a minimum of 9 body exchanges including 500 or more soldiers.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated in February that over 46,000 Ukrainian troops had actually been eliminated in the war given that early 2022.
Russia has actually not updated its official military death toll because 2022, however independent media place the variety of verified Russian soldiers killed at more than 111,000.