Tensions between Russia and Ukraine flared further on Sunday after Moscow announced it would begin transporting the bodies of more than 6,000 Ukrainian soldiers to the border via repatriation trains, accusing Kyiv of reneging on a prior agreement. The move comes amid a failed prisoner of war (POW) exchange that had been the only tangible outcome of recent peace talks in Istanbul, according to a report by CNN.
Russian Lieutenant General Alexander Zorin stated, “In just an hour, repatriation trains carrying the bodies of military personnel will begin to move.” He added that the plan had been finalized during the Istanbul negotiations earlier this week.
However, Ukrainian officials rejected Russia’s version of events. Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence, said that repatriation procedures were not scheduled to start until next week and accused Moscow of manipulating the narrative for political gain.
“Everything is going according to plan,” Budanov stated, emphasizing that Russia had been informed on Tuesday about Ukraine’s repatriation timeline.
Competing Narratives
Russia claimed that Ukraine failed to show up at the designated exchange site near Novaya Guta, Belarus, on Saturday, leaving hundreds of Ukrainian bodies in refrigerated trucks at the border with no one to receive them.
“Ukraine has not confirmed receipt of the bodies,” Russian officials said, framing the issue as a diplomatic slight and a humanitarian failure by Kyiv.
In contrast, Ukraine described the claims as “dirty information games” by the Kremlin and clarified that only an exchange of seriously wounded POWs was scheduled for Saturday. Kyiv insists no date was confirmed for the handover of war dead.
Background: Istanbul Talks and POW Deal
The Istanbul peace talks—one of the few remaining diplomatic channels between the two nations—produced a single breakthrough: an agreement to carry out a large-scale POW exchange, including both the living and the dead. Russian delegate Vladimir Medinsky described it as the largest exchange since the war began three years ago.
But the plan quickly unraveled.
- Russia says: Ukraine pulled out of the prisoner swap and the repatriation deal at the last minute.
- Ukraine says: No last-minute withdrawal occurred—the timetable had not been finalized.
Why It Matters
The impasse risks derailing future exchanges of POWs and fallen soldiers—an area where the two sides had previously found rare cooperation amid a brutal and grinding war. Humanitarian corridors for repatriation of bodies have long served as confidence-building measures, even when broader diplomacy failed.
Russia’s decision to publicize and accelerate the repatriation unilaterally, despite Ukraine’s protests, could be seen as a calculated provocation designed to paint Kyiv as unreliable on humanitarian issues.
What’s Next?
- Repatriation trains are reportedly en route, but Ukraine has not confirmed its participation at any border checkpoints.
- International observers have not yet commented on the standoff, though humanitarian organizations may seek to mediate.
- The status of the POW exchange remains in limbo, with no confirmed new date.
As the war enters its fourth year, both sides appear increasingly willing to weaponize humanitarian narratives for strategic advantage—leaving the fate of prisoners and fallen soldiers caught in a dangerous diplomatic crossfire.