Ukraine received at least 20 bodies of Russian soldiers in recent exchanges, Zelenskyy says
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
Ukraine ‘received at least 20 bodies of Russian soldiers in recent exchanges’
Volodymyr Zelensky said that an Israeli citizen was among the dead Ukraine had received in recent exchanges. The exchanges of the dead and wounded soldiers are the only tangible result of direct peace talks in Istanbul. In June, Ukraine and Russia agreed to exchange the bodies of fallen soldiers in a 6,000-for-6,000 format during the second round of negotiations.
Volodymyr Zelensky said that an Israeli citizen was among the dead Ukraine had received in recent exchanges.
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“They threw the corpses of their citizens at us. This is their attitude toward war, toward their soldiers. And this is already documented. Sometimes these bodies even have Russian passports,” he said.
He said the Russian side insisted the dead were all Ukrainians.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)
Journalists were shown a Russian passport and ID belonging to one of the 20 dead Russians. According to the document, the man came from the Moscow region.
The exchanges of the dead and wounded soldiers are the only tangible result of direct peace talks in Istanbul.
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In June, Ukraine and Russia agreed to exchange the bodies of fallen soldiers in a 6,000-for-6,000 format during the second round of negotiations.
Ukraine was concerned that the number was too high and that the sides did not have enough time for forensic examinations and checking the identities of the dead.
Mr Zelensky said he suspected Russia’s plan was to play along with peace talks to appease the US and stave off more sanctions but without ending the war that Russian president Vladimir Putin believes he is winning.
He said that because of this, Ukraine would be “in a really difficult situation” of deciding whether to continue the talks in Istanbul.
Ukraine Received 20 Bodies Of Russian Soldiers In War Dead Exchanges, Zelenskyy Says
Kyiv received the bodies of at least 20 Russian soldiers instead of Ukrainian ones during recent exchanges of war dead with Moscow. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of “not checking” who they were sending to Kyiv. He claimed that the Russian side insisted the dead were all Ukrainians. He also asked Ukraine’s Western allies to allocate 0.25 percent of their gross domestic product (GDP) to helping Kyiv ramp up weapons production. He said that Ukraine had secured $43 billion this year to finance its domestic weapon production.
“They threw the corpses of their citizens at us. This is their attitude toward war, toward their soldiers. And this is already documented. Sometimes these bodies even have Russian passports,” Zelenskyy said. He claimed that the Russian side insisted the dead were all Ukrainians.
Zelenskyy spoke to reporters in Kyiv on June 20 but his comments were embargoed until June 21.
Journalists were shown a Russian passport and ID that Ukrainian authorities said belonged to one of the 20 dead Russians. The document stated that the man came from the Moscow region. Officials did not disclose the identities of the bodies.
The repatriations were conducted following two rounds of direct peace talks in Istanbul in early June that produced agreements on the return of prisoners and the bodies of the dead but brought no visible progress on ending Russia’s war against Ukraine.
During the second round of the talks, Ukraine and Russia agreed to exchange the bodies of 6,000 soldiers each. But Kyiv was concerned that the number was too high and that the sides did not have enough time for forensic examinations and checking the identities of the dead.
Tens of thousands of soldiers have been killed on both sides since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Neither country regularly issues information on military casualties.
Ukraine Seeks Western Support To Boost Its Weapon Production
Zelenskyy also said Ukraine has began using domestically produced interceptors to shoot down Russian drones and asked Ukraine’s Western allies to allocate 0.25 percent of their gross domestic product (GDP) to helping Kyiv ramp up weapons production.
Ukraine was in talks with Denmark, Norway, Germany, Canada, Britain, and Lithuania to launch joint weapon production, he added.
“Ukraine is part of Europe’s security and we want 0.25 percent of the GDP of a particular partner country to be allocated for our defense industry and domestic production,” Zelenskyy said.
Zelenskyy said that Ukraine had secured $43 billion this year to finance its domestic weapon production.
NATO heads of state will meet at their upcoming summit in The Hague next week to discuss higher defense spending.
The 32-nation military alliance’s Secretary General Mark Rutte has proposed that countries should each agree to spend 5 percent of their GDP on defense and security measures.
Ukraine says Russia handed over at least 20 of its own dead soldiers in recent exchanges
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has revealed that Russia has repatriated at least 20 of its own dead soldiers in recent exchanges with Ukraine. He described the unusual occurrence as a sign of Moscow’s disorganisation in handling large swaps of wounded prisoners of war and military remains. An Israeli citizen was among the deceased received by Ukraine. Officials have not yet disclosed the identities of the bodies. He condemned Russia’s apparent disregard for its own troops, stating: “They threw the corpses of their citizens at us. This is their attitude toward war, toward their soldiers” He said he suspected Russia’s plan was to play along with peace talks to appease the U.S. and stave off more sanctions but without ending the war that Russian President Vladimir Putin believes he is winning. He said 39 Russian companies were involved in the production of Oreshnik, an intermediate-range ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. “And therefore it is absolutely incomprehensible why sanctions should not be imposed urgently,” he said.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has revealed that Russia has repatriated at least 20 of its own dead soldiers in recent exchanges with Ukraine, describing the unusual occurrence as a sign of Moscow’s disorganisation in handling large swaps of wounded prisoners of war and military remains.
Speaking to journalists on Friday Mr Zelenskyy disclosed that an Israeli citizen was among the deceased received by Ukraine. Officials have not yet disclosed the identities of the bodies.
He condemned Russia’s apparent disregard for its own troops, stating: “They threw the corpses of their citizens at us. This is their attitude toward war, toward their soldiers. And this is already documented. Sometimes these bodies even have Russian passports.”
Mr Zelenskyy added that despite the clear evidence, the Russian side had insisted that all the dead were Ukrainians.
Journalists were shown a Russian passport and ID belonging to one of the 20 dead Russians. According to the document, the man came from the Moscow region.
Freed Ukrainian soldiers arriving after a POW exchange with Russia walk past Ukrainians holding photos of their missing relatives in the Chernyhiv region, Ukraine, Friday, June 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Dan Bashakov) (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
The exchanges of the dead and wounded soldiers are the only tangible result of direct peace talks in Istanbul. In June, Ukraine and Russia agreed to exchange the bodies of fallen soldiers in a 6,000-for-6,000 format during the second round of negotiations. Ukraine was concerned that the number was too high and that the sides did not have enough time for forensic examinations and checking the identities of the dead.
Zelenskyy said he suspected Russia’s plan was to play along with peace talks to appease the U.S. and stave off more sanctions but without ending the war that Russian President Vladimir Putin believes he is winning.
He said that because of this, Ukraine would be “in a really difficult situation” of deciding whether to continue the talks in Istanbul.
Impact of Iran-Israel war on Ukraine
Zelenskyy said Ukraine was against Iran acquiring nuclear weapons, because of its military partnership with Russia, but stopped short of expressing explicit support for Israel’s strikes. He repeated that the new war in the Middle East will affect Ukraine indirectly.
“Iran gave the Russians everything to kill us. They gave them martyrs, they gave them missiles, and they gave them licenses. The fact that their production capacities have now become weaker is (a) positive for us. But at certain points it may already be too late,” he said, also citing Russia’s military cooperation with North Korea.
Russia has modified Iran-made Shahed drones and has used them, often hundreds at a time, in barrages targeting Ukraine.
Zelenskyy said 39 Russian companies were involved in the production of Oreshnik, an intermediate-range ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. He said 21 of them are not under sanctions. “And therefore it is absolutely incomprehensible why sanctions should not be imposed urgently,” he said.
Russia attacked Ukraine with the missile in November, marking a serious escalation in the war and Russia’s capabilities.
A handout photo made available by the National Guard of Ukraine shows Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) reacting following a prisoner swap at an undisclosed location in Ukraine, 20 June 2025 (EPA)
Zelenskyy dispelled reports that Patriots air defense systems were destroyed in recent Russian drone and missile barrages. He also said Ukraine has started using domestically produced interceptors to shoot down Shahed drones and is seeking financing from Germany to ramp up the weapon’s production.
He added he sent signals to Western partners asking them to give up 0.25% of their GDP to support Ukraine’s local defense industry.
Zelenskyy said it’s likely he would attend a NATO summit later this week, but that he would make a final decision on Monday.
Though Zelenskyy did not meet Trump who had left early the Group of Seven summit in Canada last week, Ukraine’s Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko and the head of the president’s office, Andriy Yermak, gave U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent a list of weapons Ukraine is hoping to purchase. “We will wait feedback,” Zelenskyy said, adding the package of weapons included Patriot systems.
The weapons package would be among the topics Zelenskyy plans to discuss with Trump in their next meeting, he added, as well as the issue of sanctions.
“Frankly, it seems to me that we need to talk about a new breath in the diplomatic track,” he said. “We need greater certainty and greater pressure from the world on Putin.”
Ukraine Received 20 Russian Bodies Amid POW Swap, Zelenskyy Says
Ukraine’s weapons wish list was handed to the U.S., with Patriot systems among top priorities. Russia returned 20 bodies of its own troops, misidentified as Ukrainian. passports and identification documents found on the corpses confirmed their nationality. Ukraine has begun domestic development of interceptor missiles, which are now used successfully against incoming drones. Russia has heavily relied on Iran-made Shahed drones, sometimes launching them in mass salvoes. Ukraine is increasingly relying on domestically produced interceptors for interceptor missile defense. The use of Oreshnik in November marked a worrying expansion in Russian missile capabilities in the Russian missile regime, Zelenskyy said. He suggested peace talks may be a ploy to avoid sanctions, suggesting Russia engaged in the exchanges superficially to ease U.s. pressure and delay tougher sanctions, without any genuine interest in peace. He called on Germany and other Western partners to allocate at least 0.25% of their GDP to strengthen Ukraine’S homegrown defense industry and expand production.
Freed Ukrainian soldiers arriving after a POW exchange with Russia walk past Ukrainians holding photos of their missing relatives in the Chernyhiv region, Ukraine, Friday, June 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Dan Bashakov)
Ukraine Receives Russian Soldiers’ Bodies Quick Look
Ukraine’s weapons wish list was handed to the U.S., with Patriot systems among top priorities.
Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy said Russia returned 20 bodies of its own troops, misidentified as Ukrainian.
Exchanges are part of a 6,000-for-6,000 body swap agreement, though Ukraine raised concerns over verification.
Zelenskyy criticized Putin’s motives, suggesting peace talks may be a ploy to avoid sanctions.
Iran’s weapons support to Russia, including drones and missiles, continues to affect Ukraine’s defense efforts.
Zelenskyy urged more European support, citing new sanctions needs and defense financing from Germany.
Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney, front left, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, front right, and French President Emmanuel Macron, back centre, arrive for the family photo of world leaders and invited guests at the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, Tuesday, June 17, 2025. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)
Ukraine Received 20 Russian Bodies Amid POW Swap, Zelenskyy Says
Deep Look
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed that, during recent prisoner-of-war exchanges, at least 20 bodies of Russian soldiers were repatriated by Moscow—even though Russia incorrectly insisted the bodies belonged to Ukrainian soldiers. Zelenskyy revealed that passports and identification documents found on the corpses, including one from Russia’s Moscow region, confirmed their nationality. “They threw the corpses of their citizens at us,” he stated, calling it evidence of Russia’s disorganization and disrespect toward its own troops.
This development emerged from agreements brokered during the Istanbul talks in June, where both sides consented to a 6,000-for-6,000 exchange of the deceased. Zelenskyy noted concern over the high numbers, warning that limited forensic review time could compromise identity verification.
He suggested Russia engaged in the exchanges superficially to ease U.S. pressure and delay tougher sanctions, without any genuine interest in peace. Zelenskyy questioned whether continuing the Istanbul negotiations was worthwhile under these conditions.
Iran-Israel War’s Ripple Effects on Ukraine
Zelenskyy weighed in on the conflict between Iran and Israel, stating his opposition to Iran potentially gaining nuclear capabilities. While he didn’t explicitly support Israeli bombings, he acknowledged that Iran’s diminished production capacity helps Ukraine.
“Iran gave Russia missiles, drones, and even licenses to kill us,” he said. With Iran’s factories suffering damage, its output is reduced—”a positive for us, but at some point it may already be too late.” He also highlighted Russia’s cooperation with North Korea on weapons.
Zelenskyy said Russia has heavily relied on Iran-made Shahed drones, sometimes launching them in mass salvoes. Ukraine has begun domestic development of interceptor missiles, which are now used successfully against incoming drones. He called on Germany and other Western partners to allocate at least 0.25% of their GDP to strengthen Ukraine’s homegrown defense industry and expand production.
Russia’s Oreshnik Missile and Sanctions Gap
Ukraine revealed details about the Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile, capable of carrying nuclear warheads. Zelenskyy named 39 Russian firms involved in its production, 21 of which are not under Western sanctions. He argued this is unacceptable and urged immediate inclusion of these entities in the sanction regime. The use of Oreshnik in November marked a worrying expansion in Russian missile capabilities.
Accelerating Ukraine’s Air Defense Arsenal
Zelenskyy dismissed rumors that Ukraine’s Patriot missile systems had been destroyed in recent drone-missile strikes, affirming their continued operation. Attuned to growing threats, Ukraine is increasingly relying on domestically produced interceptors for defense. He confirmed that he signaled Western leaders—especially those in Germany—to boost financing and capacity for local production lines. During the G7 summit, Ukraine’s Economy Minister and Zelenskyy’s chief of staff handed U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent a detailed request list, including Patriot systems and unspecified additional weapons. Zelenskyy stated he is awaiting U.S. feedback and plans to secure renewed support in his upcoming discussion with President Trump.
Diplomatic Roadmap
Zelenskyy may attend the upcoming NATO summit, his final decision expected by Monday. With Western critiques mounting, he emphasized the need to breathe new life into diplomatic efforts while maintaining international pressure on President Putin. He stressed the importance of achieving clarity and cohesion in sanctions enforcement and military support.
“We need a new breath in the diplomatic track,” Zelenskyy stated.
Looking Ahead
POW Exchanges : Verification processes will likely become more rigorous amid identity disputes.
: Verification processes will likely become more rigorous amid identity disputes. West’s Funding Role : Ukraine’s defense pivot relies heavily on timely foreign investments in domestic arms.
: Ukraine’s defense pivot relies heavily on timely foreign investments in domestic arms. Sanctions Expansion : Ukraine is lobbying for sanction inclusion of yet-unlisted firms tied to advanced Russian weapons.
: Ukraine is lobbying for sanction inclusion of yet-unlisted firms tied to advanced Russian weapons. Diplomatic Pressure: Continued U.S.–European unity may influence Putin’s strategic calculations and end the war stalemate.
Zelenskyy’s remarks highlight the interconnectedness of front-line events, international diplomacy, sanctions, and defense manufacturing. As the conflict and related negotiations unfold, Ukraine moves forward determined to turn global support into tangible security and justice outcomes.
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