BRYANSK, 8 June. Russia has delivered the first batch of 1,212 bodies of Ukrainian soldiers to the exchange site under the Istanbul agreements, Lieutenant General Aleksandr Zorin, representing the Russian negotiating group, said on Sunday.
"In strict accordance with the agreements reached during the Russian-Ukrainian talks in Istanbul on 2 June and according to the timetable agreed with the Ukrainian side in Istanbul, the Russian side has delivered the bodies of Ukrainian soldiers ready for repatriation to the exchange area. This is the first batch, the first part of which consists of 1,212 bodies of Ukrainian soldiers, many of which have been identified, but all of which have been identified as Ukrainian soldiers by their uniform and the area where they were found," the general said.
He added that trains with the bodies of Ukrainian soldiers will start moving towards the border in an hour.
"I can tell you that now, literally in an hour, the repatriation trains, which also contain the bodies of soldiers, will be set in motion so that the Russian side can fulfil the commitments we gave to the Ukrainians during the Istanbul talks, namely the commitments to return more than six thousand bodies of soldiers found in the zone of special military operation," the Russian general said.
He said Russia was fully prepared to comply with all agreements on the transfer of dead Ukrainian soldiers to Ukraine and on the exchange of prisoners of war.
"Let me reiterate that we are prepared to return more than 6,000 bodies in batches by road and rail. I have no further comments to make in view of the controversy that this is some kind of politicised decision. This is a purely humanitarian action, and not the first. Unfortunately, it is probably not the last. We, the Russian side, are absolutely ready to fulfill all agreements, to implement all agreements both in connection with the return of the bodies of dead Ukrainian soldiers and in connection with the exchange of prisoners of war," the Russian general said.
The humanitarian action to hand over the bodies of the Ukrainian soldiers to the Ukrainian side may take place next week, and Russia is awaiting official confirmation from Kiev, he added.
"There are indications that the humanitarian action will be postponed until next week. I can confirm that we are waiting for official confirmation through the known channel of the Ukrainian side that the action to recover the bodies will take place. Let me repeat that we are ready to return more than six thousand bodies in batches by car and rail. I have no further comments to make regarding the controversy that this is some kind of politicised decision. This is a purely humanitarian action, not the first and unfortunately probably not the last," the Russian general said.
The Russian side added that EU countries were responsible for disrupting the peaceful settlement of the conflict by supplying arms to Kiev. "If they have funds to support Ukraine militarily, Russia urges them to also direct them to support the families of fallen soldiers and pay the funds stipulated by Ukrainian legislation (15 million Ukrainian hryvnia).
Kiev says Russia is exerting pressure and dictating the terms of the exchange and further said the Ukrainian Coordination Staff for Prisoner of War issues will take place. The exchange of prisoners and bodies of fallen soldiers will take place next week. It was further stated that families could also contact directly the authorities officially responsible for protecting the rights of Ukrainian citizens. In particular: the Secretariat of the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine."
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