Budanov: The exchange of bodies of the deceased is scheduled for next week
The exchange of bodies of the fallen servicemen, which Ukraine and the Russian Federation agreed on in Istanbul, is scheduled for next week. This was announced on June 8 by the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR), head of the Coordination Headquarters, Kyrylo Budanov.
"The start of repatriation measures based on the results of the talks in Istanbul [June 2] is scheduled for next week, which the authorized persons were informed about on Tuesday [June 3]. Everything is moving according to plan, despite the enemy's dirty information game," the official said.
Budanov emphasized that Ukraine is facing information pressure and attempts by the occupiers to single-handedly dictate the terms of the exchange process.
According to the head of the HUR, Kyiv is carefully adhering to the Istanbul agreements: "Who, when, and how to change should not be someone's sole decision. Careful preparation is ongoing. Pressure and manipulation are unacceptable here."
"The attempts of some Russian propagandists to speculate on human misery, in which they themselves are involved, sound particularly cynical. Especially on the great holiday of the Trinity, which we celebrate today," the head of intelligence emphasized.
He added that the Coordination Headquarters continues to work on organizing the exchange in accordance with the agreements reached in Istanbul.
On June 2, after talks in Istanbul, President Zelensky announced that only 15% of the 6,000 bodies of fallen soldiers that Russia had agreed to hand over to Ukraine had been identified. The head of state noted that it was necessary to collect the bodies of all defenders, but stressed that there had already been a case when the occupiers had handed over their own dead soldiers along with Ukrainians.
On June 6, the Russians unilaterally announced that the exchange of bodies of the dead had begun, which Ukraine denied.
On June 7, Moscow announced that it had allegedly begun transporting the bodies of the fallen to the exchange site, and accused Kyiv of postponing the procedure. In turn, the Coordination Headquarters reported that the dates for the repatriation of the bodies of the dead had not been agreed upon, and Moscow "resorted to unilateral actions" when it announced that it had directed refrigerator trucks to the exchange site. The agency also stressed that the Russians had violated the conditions under which lists for the exchange of prisoners were to be drawn up.
In the evening of the same day, Russian propaganda released a video purporting to show refrigerated trucks with the bodies of dead Ukrainian soldiers arriving at the exchange site. The Coordination Headquarters reported that the recording was made elsewhere.