Ukraine accuses Russia of returning its soldiers’ bodies to dodge compensation payments

Ukraine's Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko reported the information.

According to him, Russia cynically uses the repatriation of the bodies of the dead as a tool of manipulation and pressure on Ukraine. The enemy deliberately complicates the identification of bodies by mixing dead Russians with Ukrainian soldiers, in order to create chaos and hide the truth.

Klymenko stated that Ukraine identified the body of Russian soldier Aleksandr Bugayev, which was found among the bodies of fallen defenders. Experts found his documents and military tags.

"His relatives began searching for him at the end of March after he went missing in the area of Novomykhailivka in the Donetsk region," the minister noted.

"This is yet another proof of how Russia treats its own people with contempt, throwing their bodies in with those of Ukrainian soldiers. It shows how little human life means to Russia. Or perhaps it is simply a way to avoid paying compensation to families," the Minister of Internal Affairs suggested.

Unlike Ukraine, which returns each of its warriors with dignity, Russia hides its dead and uses them as a tool of war and propaganda.

"The enemy's strategy is not only to kill, but also to lie about death," Klymenko concluded.

• On June 16, another exchange took place, as a result of which 1,245 more bodies were returned to Ukraine. 
• At that time, it also became known that Russia, along with the bodies of fallen Ukrainian defenders, handed over the bodies of its soldiers to Ukraine.
• On June 18, the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ihor Klymenko, confirmed that Ukraine had received over 6,000 bodies, but among them are also the bodies of Russian soldiers. It may take up to 14 months to identify the bodies received during repatriations. After that, Ukraine will return the bodies of Russians to Russia for burial.