Coordination headquarters denies Russian claims of repatriation of fallen soldiers' bodies

Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War said this in a Facebook post, according to Ukrinform.

"The statements by representatives of the aggressor state regarding the alleged start of body repatriation or related activities following agreements in Istanbul are not true," the post states.

The coordination headquarters clarified that preparations are still underway for the exchange of seriously ill and wounded individuals, as well as young soldiers and the return of the bodies of fallen defenders.

"Any unilateral statements or actions by representatives of the aggressor state are merely further manipulations on the sensitive and important topic of repatriating our defenders' remains," the statement said.

The headquarters also reiterated its readiness to carry out both repatriation efforts and prisoner exchanges, including a potential "all-for-all" exchange.

On June 2, the second round of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia took place in Istanbul. The sides agreed on an "all-for-all" exchange regarding seriously ill prisoners of war and soldiers aged 18 to 25. They also agreed to exchange the bodies of fallen soldiers — 6,000 from each side.

Photo credit: Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War