MINSK, 10 June (BelTA) - Ukraine's refusal to take back the bodies of the dead soldiers is a despicable act, Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Maksim Ryzhenkov said in an interview with the Rossiya 24 TV channel, BelTA has learned.
Maksim Ryzhenkov is convinced that Russia is ready for peace talks. He recalled Russia’s initiatives on the POWs swap and repatriation of the bodies of the dead. Ukraine, on the contrary, is in no hurry to take the bodies of its dead soldiers back.
“It is a despicable act not to take the bodies back. It is clear that it may be politically unprofitable for someone to do it today. I mean they need to pay money, admit that there are 6,000 fallen soldiers and so on. What about those soldiers’ relatives, loved ones? According to the Orthodox tradition, the body needs to be buried. If this person do not return home alive, then accept this person’s body and give it a proper burial. This should be done so that these fallen soldiers’ loved ones can come to their graves. It is a long-living tradition. Absolutely awful things are happening today. It does not make sense to me,” the minister said.
Maksim Ryzhenkov is convinced that Russia is ready for peace talks. He recalled Russia’s initiatives on the POWs swap and repatriation of the bodies of the dead. Ukraine, on the contrary, is in no hurry to take the bodies of its dead soldiers back.
“It is a despicable act not to take the bodies back. It is clear that it may be politically unprofitable for someone to do it today. I mean they need to pay money, admit that there are 6,000 fallen soldiers and so on. What about those soldiers’ relatives, loved ones? According to the Orthodox tradition, the body needs to be buried. If this person do not return home alive, then accept this person’s body and give it a proper burial. This should be done so that these fallen soldiers’ loved ones can come to their graves. It is a long-living tradition. Absolutely awful things are happening today. It does not make sense to me,” the minister said.
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