Moscow: The Russian Ministry of Defense announced the transfer of the first batch of bodies of Ukrainian soldiers to the exchange zone agreed upon between the two parties, as part of the humanitarian agreement reached during the second round of Istanbul talks earlier this month.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the ministry detailed in a statement that this initial batch includes 1,212 bodies. Many of these have been identified, while others were classified as Ukrainian soldiers based on their military uniforms and the locations where they were discovered.

The Istanbul talks, held on June 2 under Turkish auspices with international observers, resulted in agreements on several humanitarian issues. These include a comprehensive exchange of prisoners of war, encompassing minors and the sick, as well as the exchange of remains of up to 6,000 soldiers. However, the discussions did not result in a comprehensive truce, with only memoranda exchanged regarding a limited ceasefire, as disagreements over security and political matters persist.

This development occurs amid ongoing escalation on the ground. The Russian Ministry of Defense also announced its control over the town of Zarya in Donetsk and their advance toward the border with the Dnipropetrovsk region in eastern Ukraine. The ministry reported the defeat of Ukrainian forces in areas such as Seversk, Kramatorsk, and Chasov Yar, noting the death of more than 170 Ukrainian soldiers and the destruction of military equipment, including artillery and electronic warfare stations.

Furthermore, it was reported that units of the 90th Tank Division continued their advance into Dnipropetrovsk territory, inflicting casualties amounting to approximately 530 soldiers, alongside the destruction of Western-made vehicles and artillery. Russian forces have also targeted Ukrainian gatherings on the right bank of the Dnieper River with drones and conducted strikes on positions in Zaporozhye, Kherson, and Dnipropetrovsk, resulting in approximately 100 soldiers killed and the destruction of ammunition depots and electronic warfare stations.