Russia and Ukraine have carried out an exchange of corpses – the last step in a pact to bring back dead soldiers.
Ukraine Confirms Receipt of Bodies Send By Russia
Kyiv announced that Moscow had delivered 1,245 bodies on Monday, out of 6,057 in the last few days. It added that it was currently checking if all the corpses were those of Ukrainian soldiers.
Russia put 6,060 the overall number of bodies transferred to Ukraine. It also said 78 bodies of Russian soldiers had been repatriated.
Complications in Identification
Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko accused Russia of “deliberately complicating” the identification process. “Bodies are returned in an extremely mutilated state, parts of [the same] bodies are in different bags,” he said.
Russia delivered 6,060 the total number of bodies that were moved to Ukraine. It also reported 78 bodies of Russian troops that had been sent back.
Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine completely in February 2022. The exchange on Monday was the latest. The bodies in white bags arrived on refrigerator lorries. Red Cross members oversaw the process.
Statements From Both Sides
In a statement, the government agency coordinating Ukraine’s repatriation of bodies said that “another 1,245 bodies were returned to Ukraine”.
It stated that the process of identification and “all the necessary examinations” would be conducted by Ukrainian law enforcement specialists.
The Russian defence ministry meanwhile issued a statement saying 1,248 Ukrainian bodies of soldiers had been transferred to Kyiv.
That number was disputed by Klymenko, who stated that Ukraine had “received bodies of Russian soldiers mixed with those of Ukrainians” in the previous exchanges.
Ongoing Disparities and Lack of Trust between Russia and Ukraine
In its announcement, the Russian defence ministry also stated it had been given the bodies of 51 dead Russian soldiers on Monday, bringing the number to 78.
The ministry also stated that it was prepared to deliver another 2,239 bodies of Ukrainian soldiers.
The total imbalance between the two sides can also be explained by the fact that, in recent times, Russia has been gaining territory, and therefore would have been able to reclaim many of its own fighters killed in combat.
There is very little trust between the two sides, even regarding the deceased.
Red Cross Observes, Avoids Disclosure
The Red Cross would not comment on how many corpses were transferred by each.
“It’s been up to them really to figure out the details, to discuss directly and determine where this takes place, when, and which human remains to be part of that process,” ICRC spokesman Pat Griffiths told the BBC.
The deal to repatriate the bodies and also exchange prisoners of war was agreed at peace talks between Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul, Turkey, earlier this month.
