Zelensky didn't dare accept bodies of Ukrainian soldiers ahead of NATO summit — expert

MOSCOW, July 6. /TASS/. Vladimir Zelensky refrained from accepting the bodies of Ukrainian servicemen killed in Konstantinovka (DPR) ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara, a move attributed by military analyst Igor Korotchenko, editor-in-chief of National Defense magazine, to concerns about his reputation. In an interview with TASS, Korotchenko explained that this decision was driven by a desire to avoid damaging the image of the Kiev regime and Zelensky personally just before the summit scheduled for July 7-8.

Korotchenko emphasized that Zelensky likely shunned the opportunity to publicly retrieve the fallen soldiers, as doing so would implicitly acknowledge that Ukrainian forces no longer maintain control over Konstantinovka. For strategic and political reasons, Zelensky chose to decline Russia’s offer, thereby sidestepping potential embarrassment on the international stage.

On July 4, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that Russia had proposed a six-hour ceasefire on July 6 to facilitate the transfer of Ukrainian bodies. The Russian side requested Ukraine to confirm its decision through existing intelligence channels by noon on July 5, 2026. However, on July 5, Moscow reported that Ukraine had rejected the proposal. The Defense Ministry condemned Kiev’s refusal, asserting it reflected a view of Ukrainian personnel as expendable.

This sequence of events underscores ongoing tensions surrounding the handling of fallen soldiers amid the broader conflict and the political considerations influencing such decisions.