Ukraine updates: 1,212 soldiers' bodies back in Ukraine

• Ukraine has accepted the bodies of 1,212 of its fallen soldiers from Russia after Moscow claimed Kyiv was refusing to take them
• Moscow says Russia and Ukraine will exchange severely wounded soldiers on Thursday as the latest stage of a POW exchange agreement  
• Three people have been killed in a Russian drone strike in the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv

Read below about main developments from Russia's war in Ukraine on Wednesday, June 11, 2025:

06/11/2025June 11, 2025

Ukraine says it has received remains of 1,212 fallens soldiers

Ukraine has taken back the bodies of 1,212 of its fallen soldiers from Russia after days of dispute during which Russia accused Kyiv of not accepting the remains.

The agency dealing with prisoners of war in Kyiv said the soldiers had died in fighting in Russia's Kursk region and the Ukrainian regions of Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.

Ukraine said its experts "will identify the deceased as soon as possible".

Russia's top negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, also confirmed the handover and said Russia had "received the remains of 27 Russian soldiers."

Ukraine did not say how many bodies it returned to Russia. 

Russia has for days said Ukraine was refusing to accept the bodies, calling on Kyiv to honor agreements reached at talks in Istanbul at the beginning of the month.

According to Moscow, the bodies had been made ready for handover at the weekend, but Ukraine said no handover date had been agreed, accusing Russia of unilateral and uncoordinated actions.

The Istanbul talks provided for the return of the remains of more than 6,000 fallen soldiers from each side.

06/11/2025June 11, 2025

Three die in Russian drone assault on Kharkiv

17 districts in Kharkiv were hit by Russian dronesImage: Andrii Marienko/AP/dpa/picture alliance

Russia carried out more drone attacks across Ukraine overnight, with the northeastern city of Kharkiv one of the main targets.

Three people were confirmed killed, according to Kharkiv regional head Oleh Syniehubov.

According to Mayor Ihor Terekhov, 17 drones struck two residential districts.

"Those are ordinary sites of peaceful life — those that should never be targeted," Terekhov wrote on the Telegram messaging app.

Scores of people were also wounded in the attacks.

In a statement, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reiterated his calls for greater international pressure on Moscow.

"Every new day now brings new vile Russian attacks, and almost every strike is telling," he said. "We must not be afraid or postpone new decisions that could make things more difficult for Russia," he said.

"Without this, they will not engage in genuine diplomacy. And this depends primarily on the United States and other world leaders. Everyone who has called for an end to the killings and for diplomacy must act."

Kharkiv has been frequently targeted in recent months as Russia launched large scale drone and missile attacks on civilian infrastructure.

06/11/2025June 11, 2025

Russian politician Shlosberg to be put under house arrest

Lev Shlosberg is one of the few opposition politicians left in RussiaImage: Vladimir Gerdo/TASS/picture alliance

A Russian court has ruled that opposition lawmaker Lev Shlosberg should be placed under house arrest and other restrictions after he was charged with discrediting the Russian army.

His Yabloko party said he was detained on Tuesday for remarks made in January where he described the war in Ukraine as a game of "bloody chess."

The 61-year-old Shlosberg made the comment in a video debate in which he urged an end to the war.

The Kremlin has made it a punishable offense to make comments that it deems to be derogatory about the Russian military, which includes any remarks criticizing Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Shlosberg, who the court in the Pskov region said was already designated as a "foreign agent" by Russian authorities, faces up to five years' imprisonment if convicted.

06/11/2025June 11, 2025

Welcome to our coverage

Timothy Jones | Zac Crellin

Ukraine and Russia are proceeding with exchanges of POWs and the remains of thousands of fallen soldiers from both sides following talks in Istanbul on Monday.

Russia has meanwhile continued with its aerial bombardment of its neighbor as it pushes on with its full-scale invasion of its neighbor.

Stay with DW for real-time news, analysis, and analysis from our correspondents on the ground as we follow Moscow's war in Ukraine.