Ukraine: Russia Repatriated Remains of Its Own Soldiers

Ukraine said Russia repatriated at least 20 of its own dead soldiers in recent exchanges with Ukraine, describing it as a result of Moscow's disorganization in carrying out large swaps of wounded POWs and remains of troops. President Volodymyr Zelensky said an Israeli citizen was among the dead Ukraine had received in recent exchanges. He spoke to journalists on Friday, but his comments were embargoed until Saturday, the AP reports. Officials did not disclose the identities of the bodies. "They threw the corpses of their citizens at us," Zelensky said. "This is their attitude toward war, toward their soldiers."

Zelensky said the Russian side insisted the dead were all 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. Zelensky also addressed the Iran-Israel strikes. He said his country opposes Iran acquiring nuclear weapons, because of its military partnership with Russia, but stopped short of expressing support for Israel's strikes. "Iran gave the Russians everything to kill us. They gave them martyrs, they gave them missiles, and they gave them licenses," he said. "The fact that their production capacities have now become weaker is positive for us. But at certain points it may already be too late."

(More Russia-Ukraine war stories.)