Russia Backtracks on Istanbul POW and Repatriation Agreement, Ukraine Warns
Ukrainian defense authorities have accused the Russian Federation of deliberately undermining the Istanbul agreement on prisoner exchanges and the repatriation of fallen soldiers’ bodies – a deal reached less than a week ago between the two sides.
The Gaze reports on this with reference to Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.
In official statements released on June 7, the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War condemned Moscow’s recent statements and actions, describing them as inconsistent with what had been agreed during negotiations in Istanbul on June 2.
“Today’s statements from the Russian side do not reflect the actual agreements reached regarding prisoner exchanges and the return of the deceased,” the Coordination Headquarters wrote on social media. “Instead of advancing a coordinated and humanitarian process, Russia has once again resorted to manipulation and unilateral actions.”
According to Ukrainian officials, the Istanbul framework included a comprehensive agreement to begin phased exchanges of prisoners of war, including the severely wounded, seriously ill, and soldiers under the age of 25, as well as to start the repatriation of 6,000 fallen soldiers from each side.
Ukraine submitted its lists of eligible POWs in accordance with the agreed categories. However, the Russian side returned different lists, which, according to Kyiv, ignored the mutually defined criteria.
“Ukraine has provided the necessary clarifications. We now await Russia’s next step,” the Coordination Headquarters noted.
Ukrainian officials also reported that while a general agreement on the return of remains had been reached, no exact date was set. Despite this, Russia reportedly began taking unilateral actions outside the agreed process.
“Rather than following a joint protocol, the Russian side opted for unauthorized steps. Sensitive humanitarian issues are once again being exploited for political messaging,” Kyiv’s officials warned.
The Coordination Headquarters stressed that Ukraine remains committed to the framework agreed in Istanbul and is focused solely on the humanitarian goal: returning captured and fallen servicemen to their families.
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