Ukraine refuses to retrieve bodies of fallen troops: Russian Defense Ministry

Alsharq Tribune-Ahmed Essam 

Kiev has refused to accept the bodies of Ukrainian servicemen who died in Konstantinovka in Donetsk, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Sunday.

The ministry proposed on Saturday that Ukraine take away the remains of deceased Ukrainian soldiers from Konstantinovka, which is now under Russian military control, via a handover scheduled for July 6. Kiev was given a deadline of noon Sunday to respond through official designated communication channels.

"After reviewing the proposal with its security agencies, the Ukrainian side turned down this initiative," the ministry stated.

Russia claimed on Friday that its armed forces had taken full control of the city of Konstantinovka in the frontline.