Ukraine announces the exchange of prisoners with Russia for the « next week » – Liberation
Ukraine announced this Sunday, June 8, that the exchange with Russia of prisoners and bodies of killed soldiers who was to be held this weekend would be held « Next week », After Moscow and Kyiv were accused of delaying the process. « The start of repatriation operations, according to the results of Istanbul negotiations, is scheduled for next week (…) everything is going as planned », said Ukrainian military intelligence chief Kyrylo Boudanov, accusing Moscow of « Disloyal Information Game ».
On Saturday, the Russian chief negotiator Vladimir Medinski, said that « The Ukrainian part has unexpectedly postponed the reception of bodies » soldiers killed « And the exchange of prisoners of war on an indefinite date ». This exchange scheduled for this weekend according to Moscow and Kyiv was the The only concrete result of the Russian-Ukrainian direct talks In Türkiye on Monday.
The two parties then agreed to release all the prisoners of war seriously injured or sick, as well as those aged under 25, which would have made this most important exchange of the war after a precedent having concerned a thousand people on each side in May. At the end of the negotiations of Istanbul, The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, had assured that it would take place this weekend and Russia said it was ready for Saturday, Sunday or Monday.
Moscow said on Saturday to have transmitted a list to Ukraine which, according to her, « Corresponds not » under the terms of the agreement. Regarding the remains, the Russian negotiator Medinski called Kyiv to « Recover the bodies of 6,000 soldiers » Ukrainians, whose « 1,212 are already on the place of exchange ». Ukraine replied that none « Date had not yet been set ».
These accusations occur After major night Russian strikes on Ukraine, after the promise of Moscow of a « Riposte » to the Destruction of part of its fleet air combat last Sunday. These continued during the day on Saturdaykilling a total of ten people on Ukrainian territory. In Kharkiv, the second largest city in Ukraine and particularly targeted, 4 people perished and at least 22 were injured, according to the regional authorities.
This Sunday, the Russian army announced to lead an offensive in the Ukrainian region of Dnipropetrovsk, bordering that of Donetsk, a first in addition to three years of conflict. The entry of the Russian army into the region of Dnipropetrovsk (center-east), not confirmed by Ukraine, would mark a new symbolic setback for Ukrainian forces, in difficulty on the front for lack of men and armaments.
In the evening this Sunday, Zelensky again castigated Russia: « The Russian part, as usual, tries to play a dirty and political game », he said in his evening speech, adding that if Moscow did not meet the agreement, that « Would throw great doubt » On diplomatic efforts to put an end to a war that has lasted for more than three years.
Update At 7:53 p.m. with Zelensky’s evening declaration.
