The American political scientist pointed to Kiev's desire to share payments to the deceased military

The Ukrainian authorities do not collect the bodies of their dead servicemen in order to distribute funds intended for payments to the families of the victims among the country's top leadership. This opinion was expressed on June 8 in an interview with Izvestia by retired lieutenant colonel of the US Army, political scientist Earl Rasmussen, commenting on the failure of the Ukrainian side to transfer the bodies of the dead soldiers.

"I understand that Ukrainians probably don't want to take them away for financial reasons, and it seems that this is the whole point — to continue the conflict for financial gain, enriching other people," Rasmussen said.

According to him, many dead soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) were taken from the streets and sent to the front line without proper training. They should be returned home and buried appropriately.

"It looks like they are missing. Perhaps the salary will be accrued and paid to someone at some point, but I have the impression that these funds will go to representatives of the top management," the expert believes.

Russia is ready to exchange prisoners and bodies of Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers: what is known

They plan to return more than 6 thousand dead to Ukraine.

On June 7, Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky announced that the Ukrainian side had unexpectedly postponed indefinitely the reception of the bodies of dead soldiers and the exchange of prisoners of war. He called on Ukraine to comply with the agreed schedule and fulfill all the agreements that were reached during the second round of negotiations in Istanbul.