Russia accuses Ukraine of postponing exchange of prisoners, soldiers' bodies

Russia on Saturday accused Ukraine of indefinitely delaying a planned exchange of prisoners and the handover of fallen soldiers' bodies.

Russia has initiated a large-scale humanitarian operation to transfer the remains of over 6,000 deceased Ukrainian soldiers and exchange wounded and young prisoners of war under age 25, in accordance with the agreement from the previous Istanbul negotiations, said Russian Presidential Aide Vladimir Medinsky.

He said that the first batch of 1,212 Ukrainian soldiers' bodies had already been delivered to the agreed exchange location, with the rest on the way.

Russia has also handed Ukraine a list of 640 captured personnel slated for exchange, with Russian Defense Ministry liaison teams deployed near the Ukrainian border to facilitate the process, he said.

Medinsky accused the Ukrainian authorities of unexpectedly and indefinitely postponing the repatriation and prisoner swap without explanation.

For unspecified reasons, Ukrainian representatives had failed to arrive at the designated site, he said.

He urged Ukraine to "strictly adhere to the schedule and all agreements reached, and to immediately begin the exchange."

However, Ukraine's Coordinating Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War on Saturday denied Russia's claim that the country is delaying a prisoner exchange agreed on Monday.

"Today's statements by the Russian side do not reflect the reality and previously reached agreements," the agency said in a statement.

According to the statement, Ukraine has handed over to Russia the list of prisoners designated for the exchange, including those seriously wounded and ill. However, Russia has submitted different lists that "do not meet" the agreed parameters of the swap.

The agency said Ukraine has given Russia relevant comments and the next move is expected from the Russian side.

During their last round of talks in Istanbul on Monday, the two sides agreed on an "all-for-all" exchange involving seriously ill and wounded prisoners, as well as soldiers under the age of 25, according to Medinsky.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday that a prisoner exchange under a "500-for-500" formula would take place this weekend.

The central parity rate of the Chinese currency renminbi, or the yuan, strengthened 20 pips to 7.0108 against the U.S. dollar Monday, according to the China Foreign Exchange Trade System.

In China's spot foreign exchange market, the yuan is allowed to rise or fall by 2 percent from the central parity rate each trading day.

The central parity rate of the yuan against the U.S. dollar is based on a weighted average of prices offered by market makers before the opening of the interbank market each business day.