Ukraine announced on Friday that Russia had returned the bodies of 77 soldiers, days after the downing of a Russian plane cast doubt on the future of those exchanges.
Moscow and Kiev exchanged fresh accusations over the crash of a transport ship, with Russia saying it was shot down near the rival countries’ border, killing 65 Ukrainian prisoners.
Kiev has not completely denied the claims, but officials appear to question whether the prisoners were on board.
The recent repatriation of bodies appears to be unrelated to the downing of a passenger plane that crashed in a fireball in Russia’s western Belgorod region on Wednesday.
“Preparations for the repatriation have been underway for a long time,” Ukraine’s Headquarters for the Coordination of Treatment of Prisoners of War said in a statement.
Throughout the nearly two-year war, hundreds of prisoners were released in dozens of exchanges.
But Russia’s claims that Ukraine shot down a plane carrying Ukrainian detainees cast doubt on the future of those exchanges.
On Friday, Ukraine still disputed Russia’s explanation for how the Ilyushin 76 military transport plane crashed.
The Kremlin has dismissed the idea of releasing evidence proving dozens of Ukrainian soldiers were killed.
When asked whether Russia plans to release evidence about how Ukraine shot down the plane and who was on board, Russian government spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters: “Investigations are working on this matter.” I have nothing to add regarding that.”
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Russia’s Investigative Committee released footage of the alleged crash scene on Thursday. It showed small chunks of plane debris and a blurry close-up of the body.
A second video released Friday showed more debris, a forensic team sealing the body bag, and photos of three IDs identifying the deceased victim.
Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman Dmytro Rubinets dismissed the materials released by the Russian government so far as “elements of an information and propaganda campaign against Ukraine.”
Kiev and Moscow have launched criminal investigations, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has called for an international investigation.
On Wednesday, he accused the Russian government of “playing with the lives” of Ukrainian soldiers and their families.
Kiev has neither confirmed nor denied involvement in the crash, nor has it said whether it was transporting captured Ukrainian soldiers.
It was confirmed that a prisoner exchange was scheduled to take place on that day. However, Moscow said it had not informed Kiev that the soldiers would be taken by plane to the border, as it had previously done.
In a statement issued after the incident, the Ukrainian military vowed to continue targeting Russian forces in the border region where the plane was shot down.