Russia: Ukraine rejects local ceasefire for handover of soldiers’ bodies

Ukraine has refused to halt shelling of the town of Kostiantynivka in the ⁠east of the ⁠country to allow Russia to hand over the bodies of fallen ⁠Ukrainian soldiers, the Russian Defence Ministry said on Sunday.

Russian military commanders told President Vladimir Putin on Friday that Moscow’s forces had taken control of Kostiantynivka, though Ukraine denied the ⁠claim, saying ⁠its forces remained in control of the town.

Kostiantynivka is a key locality whose capture Moscow has long sought in its military campaign in the ⁠Donetsk region.

Russia said it had proposed a six-hour ceasefire in and around Kostiantynivka on Monday to facilitate the handover of Ukrainian servicemen’s bodies ⁠and ‌had ‌given Kyiv until ⁠0900 GMT on ‌Sunday to respond.

Ukraine’s defence ministry and general ⁠staff did not immediately ⁠respond to an emailed ⁠request for comment.