**Ukraine Denies Russian Claims of Delayed POW Exchange**
In a statement released on June 7, Russia claimed that Ukraine had unexpectedly postponed a planned exchange of prisoners of war (POWs) and the bodies of fallen soldiers. However, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry has denied these claims, stating that they were an attempt by Russia to avoid returning Ukrainian POWs from captivity.
According to reports, Ukrainian and Russian delegations had agreed to conduct a major swap during their second round of direct peace talks in Istanbul on June 2. The exchange was scheduled to take place on June 7-8 and would include severely injured prisoners and young people aged 18 to 25. Russia also pledged to transfer 6,000 bodies of fallen Ukrainian soldiers and officers to Ukraine.
However, Vladimir Medinsky, head of the Russian delegation in peace talks, claimed that the contact group of the Russian Defense Ministry was stationed at the border with Ukraine, but the Ukrainian side “unexpectedly postponed both the transfer of bodies and the POW exchange indefinitely.” Ukraine’s Defense Ministry dismissed this claim as false, saying it was an attempt by Russia to avoid returning Ukrainian POWs from captivity.
**Ukraine Remains Committed to Prisoner Exchange**
The Ukrainian Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of POWs also refuted Russia’s claim, stating that instead of constructive dialogue, Ukraine faced manipulations and attempts to exploit sensitive humanitarian issues. The headquarters added that an agreement on the repatriation of bodies of fallen soldiers was made, but the date was not set.
Ukraine has repeatedly pressed Moscow to agree to an “all-for-all” prisoner exchange, but Russia has rejected the proposal. Despite this, Ukraine has returned over 5,000 prisoners via exchanges with Russia since March 2022.
**Background and Analysis**
The latest direct Russia-Ukraine talks followed the first round of negotiations on May 16. The initial meeting ended with an agreement on the largest prisoner exchange of the war, but without any tangible progress toward a peace deal.
It appears that Ukraine remains committed to finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict, despite Russia’s attempts to manipulate and exploit humanitarian issues for information purposes. The denial of Russian claims by Ukraine’s Defense Ministry and Coordination Headquarters suggests that they are working within the agreed framework to ensure the safe return of POWs and the repatriation of bodies.
This development highlights the ongoing complexities of the conflict and the need for constructive dialogue between the two sides. As the situation continues to unfold, it remains essential to follow the latest developments and updates from reliable sources.
**Related News**
For more information on this story, please see:
* [Original Article](https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-refutes-russias-claims-of-disrupting-pow-exchange/)
* [Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks: What You Need to Know](https://kyivindependent.com/tag/ukraine-russia-talks/)
