Russia Hands Over 1000 Ukrainian Soldier Remains Under Istanbul Protocol

Russia has transferred 1000 Ukrainian soldiers' bodies to Ukraine under the Istanbul agreement framework. Russian President's Assistant Mekinsky made the announcement.

MOSCOW — In a significant development in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin's assistant, Mekinsky, announced that Russia has transferred the bodies of 1000 Ukrainian soldiers to Ukraine under the Istanbul agreement framework. This move is part of the broader efforts to facilitate direct talks between the two nations, with Russia urging its partners to exert pressure on Ukraine to resume negotiations [1].

The transfer of bodies follows the second round of direct talks held in Istanbul in early June, where Russia and Ukraine exchanged draft memorandums outlining their respective visions for resolving the conflict. The sides also agreed to an "all for all" exchange of seriously ill prisoners of war and those under 25 years of age, with at least 1000 people on each side [1].

The move comes amidst escalating tensions and diplomatic efforts. United States President Donald Trump has threatened to impose "very severe tariffs" on Russia if a peace agreement is not reached within the next 50 days. Trump has also unveiled a new agreement to supply Ukraine with more weapons, including Patriot air defense missiles [2].

Russia has not responded directly to Trump's threats, with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stating that the US president's statements are "very serious" but that decisions made in Washington and other NATO countries are perceived by the Ukrainian side as a signal to continue the war [2]. Russian officials have indicated that they do not care about Trump's "theatrical ultimatum" [2].

The Russian stock market appeared relatively unaffected by Trump's threat, rising 2.7 percent on Monday. The Russian rouble initially lost value against the US dollar but then recovered after Trump threatened new tariffs on Russia [2].

The transfer of bodies is a crucial step in the ongoing peace efforts, but it remains to be seen whether it will lead to a resumption of direct talks between Russia and Ukraine.

References:
[1] https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2025/07/16/3355986/kremlin-urges-broader-support-in-pushing-ukraine-to-resume-talks
[2] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/7/16/could-trumps-tariff-threats-force-putin-into-ukraine-peace-deal