President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that Russia is attempting to play a dirty political and information game surrounding the exchange of prisoners and the return of fallen soldiers’ bodies, which undermines the efforts of the US and the international community to facilitate negotiations.

Source: Zelenskyy in an evening address 

Quote: "Today and yesterday, I spoke with Defence Minister [Rustem] Umierov, Head of Defence Intelligence [Kyrylo] Budanov and Security Service Head [Vasyl] Maliuk. 

Ukraine is continuing to do everything possible to ensure the release of our prisoners and the return of our fallen Ukrainian soldiers. The Russians have yet to provide a complete list of more than 1,000 people, which we agreed upon in Istanbul. In their usual fashion, the Russian side is trying to turn even these matters into a dirty political and information game."

Details: Zelenskyy emphasised that Ukraine believes it will be possible to continue the exchange track and is doing everything necessary to achieve this.

Quote:"And if the Russians fail to uphold agreements even in such humanitarian matters, it casts serious doubt on all international efforts, particularly the efforts of the US, to pursue negotiations and diplomacy." 

Background:

• On 7 June, Russia claimed that a prisoner exchange had been disrupted due to Ukraine. Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of POWs refuted this claim.
• Later, the Russians released footage showing refrigerated lorries and claimed they had delivered the first batch of fallen Ukrainians’ bodies for exchange. Andrii Yusov, Deputy Head of the Coordination Headquarters, told Ukrainska Pravda that the footage was filmed in Russia, not at or near the designated exchange site.
• On 8 June, Kyrylo Budanov, Head of Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU), stated that repatriation of the bodies of fallen Ukrainian soldiers, agreed upon during negotiations in Istanbul, is scheduled for next week.

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