Increase in Istanbul: Russia and Ukraine in a dispute!

Increase in Istanbul: Russia and Ukraine in a dispute!

Istanbul, Türkei - On June 7, 2025, there were significant developments in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. An exchange of prisoners was agreed in Istanbul, which is now delayed. Russia blames Ukraine for the delay, while Kyiv rejects the allegations. The Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinski claimed that Ukraine had postponed the acceptance of the corpses and the exchange of prisoners of war indefinitely and questioned compliance with the agreements. Meanwhile, Russia brought 1,212 corpses of Ukrainian soldiers to the transfer point and presented a list of 640 Russian prisoners of war.

The Ukrainian side sees no basis in the Russian claims to evaluate the situation. Andriy Kowalenko from the National Security and Defense Council appealed to constructive cooperation and pointed out that there was no specific date for the return of the corpses and the list of prisoners did not meet the conditions of the agreement. The original agreement promised the exchange of all prisoners of war between the ages of 18 and 25 as well as seriously wounded or sick prisoners, together with the return of 6,000 corpses.

massive air strikes in Charkiw and Cherson

At the same time, Ukraine experienced one of the most violent attacks since the conflict began. In the cities of Charkiw and Cherson, Russia carried out massive air strikes in which at least five people died. Three people were killed in Charkiw and 22 more injured after 53 drone attacks, a rocket and four sliding bombs had occurred. Mayor Ihor Terechow said that it was the strongest attack since the beginning of the war, whereby at least 40 explosions were recorded within a short time.

In Cherson, two people were also committed to air strikes, while numerous injuries, including children, were registered. Together with the attacks in Charkiw, there were also attacks in the Odessa, Donetsk and Dniprotetrovsk regions, whereby the energy infrastructure there was considerably damaged. Foreign Minister Andrij Sybiha denounced the attacks as terror against civilians and called for a rethink and more international pressure on Moscow.

reactions and allegations

Russia justified the air raids in response to Ukrainian drone attacks to Russian military base points. In Moscow, several Ukrainian drones were shot down again, with two people being injured by falling debris. The escalating military clashes and the hardened fronts illustrate the tense situation between the two countries.

The clashes on both the battlefield and at the negotiating table show that an early solution to the conflict continues to move far away. The exchange of 6000 soldiers and the clarification of the body takeover could possibly take place in the coming days, but remain questionable in terms of hope of a peaceful solution. It remains to be seen how the situation will develop and whether constructive cooperation between the warring parties comes about.