Latest news with #VladimirMedinsky
Russia Today
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
Russia ready to hand over 3,000 more bodies of fallen Ukrainian soldiers
Russia is ready to transfer the remains of 3,000 more Ukrainian soldiers if Kiev agrees to accept them, Moscow's chief negotiator for the Ukraine conflict, Vladimir Medinsky, has said. He also rejected Kiev's claim that the body of a Russian soldier was among the remains handed over to Ukraine during a previous exchange. Moscow has repatriated a total of 6,060 sets of remains, while Kiev returned the bodies of 79 slain Russian soldiers. The exchange was agreed upon during the latest round of direct talks, hosted by Türkiye earlier this month. Medinsky's Ukrainian counterpart, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, suggested at the time that Kiev would hand over an equal number of fallen Russian troops. The handover was jeopardized after Kiev reportedly refused to accept the first transfer, on June 7. Ukrainian officials blamed Russia for being too hasty, though the exchange proceeded the following day and more were carried over the past week. 'About 3,000 [bodies] are ready for transfer, if the [Ukrainian authorities] are willing to accept them,' Medinsky stated on Friday. 'Our military is ready to hand them over so that their families can finally identify and give them a Christian burial,' he added. He also responded to Kiev's claims that Moscow had included a Russian soldier's body among the Ukrainian remains. Medinsky pointed out that that transfer occurred during a February exchange – something that Kiev had already confirmed – and noted that Moscow is aware of the situation and 'is looking into it.' Earlier this week, Ukraine's Interior Minister Igor Klimenko accused Russia of 'deliberately complicating' the identification process, claiming that some of the remains handed over in a recent exchange had been labeled as Russian. Medinsky dismissed the allegations – amplified by Western media – as propaganda, and likened the move to Nazi Germany's misinformation tactics. 'I would ask our Ukrainian negotiating partners to restrain their Western propagandists, so they don't make fools of themselves,' he said. In April, Ukraine's Vladimir Zelensky stated in an interview that Ukraine had lost up to 100,000 troops since the conflict escalated in 2022. Russian Defense Ministry estimates suggest that Kiev's losses are much higher. On Friday, President Vladimir Putin described the Ukrainian army's losses as 'catastrophic' and that it suffered more than 76,000 casualties in Russia's Kursk Region alone.
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russia says it expects agreement next week on date for next peace talks with Ukraine
ST PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) -Russia expects to agree with Ukraine next week on a date for a third round of peace talks, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday. Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky, who heads the Russian delegation, is in contact with his Ukrainian counterpart, Peskov said. Resuming negotiations after a gap of more than three years, the two sides held face-to-face talks in Istanbul on May 16 and June 2 that led to a series of prisoner exchanges and the return of the bodies of dead soldiers. But they have made no progress towards a ceasefire which Ukraine, with Western backing, has been pressing for. Russia says it wants a final settlement, not just a pause in the fighting, and is insisting on territorial and other demands that Ukraine says would be tantamount to capitulation. The conflict has intensified in recent weeks, with Russia carrying out some of its heaviest air attacks of the war and Ukraine mounting surprise drone strikes on airfields on June 1 that inflicted serious damage on Russia's nuclear-capable bomber fleet.
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russia says it expects agreement next week on date for next peace talks with Ukraine
ST PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) -Russia expects to agree with Ukraine next week on a date for a third round of peace talks, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday. Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky, who heads the Russian delegation, is in contact with his Ukrainian counterpart, Peskov said. Resuming negotiations after a gap of more than three years, the two sides held face-to-face talks in Istanbul on May 16 and June 2 that led to a series of prisoner exchanges and the return of the bodies of dead soldiers. But they have made no progress towards a ceasefire which Ukraine, with Western backing, has been pressing for. Russia says it wants a final settlement, not just a pause in the fighting, and is insisting on territorial and other demands that Ukraine says would be tantamount to capitulation. The conflict has intensified in recent weeks, with Russia carrying out some of its heaviest air attacks of the war and Ukraine mounting surprise drone strikes on airfields on June 1 that inflicted serious damage on Russia's nuclear-capable bomber fleet.
Hindustan Times
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Russia expects peace talks date with Ukraine to be set next week: Kremlin
Russia expects to agree with Ukraine next week on a date for a third round of peace talks, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday. Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky, who heads the Russian delegation, is in contact with his Ukrainian counterpart, Peskov said. Resuming negotiations after a gap of more than three years, the two sides held face-to-face talks in Istanbul on May 16 and June 2 that led to a series of prisoner exchanges and the return of the bodies of dead soldiers. But they have made no progress towards a ceasefire which Ukraine, with Western backing, has been pressing for. Russia says it wants a final settlement, not just a pause in the fighting, and is insisting on territorial and other demands that Ukraine says would be tantamount to capitulation. The conflict has intensified in recent weeks, with Russia carrying out some of its heaviest air attacks of the war and Ukraine mounting surprise drone strikes on airfields on June 1 that inflicted serious damage on Russia's nuclear-capable bomber fleet.
Al Arabiya
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Russia says it expects agreement next week on date for next peace talks with Ukraine
Russia expects to agree with Ukraine next week on a date for a third round of peace talks, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday. Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky, who heads the Russian delegation, is in contact with his Ukrainian counterpart, Peskov said. Resuming negotiations after a gap of more than three years, the two sides held face-to-face talks in Istanbul on May 16 and June 2 that led to a series of prisoner exchanges and the return of the bodies of dead soldiers. But they have made no progress towards a ceasefire which Ukraine, with Western backing, has been pressing for. Russia says it wants a final settlement, not just a pause in the fighting, and is insisting on territorial and other demands that Ukraine says would be tantamount to capitulation. The conflict has intensified in recent weeks, with Russia carrying out some of its heaviest air attacks of the war and Ukraine mounting surprise drone strikes on airfields on June 1 that inflicted serious damage on Russia's nuclear-capable bomber fleet.
