Russia's accusation that Ukraine was delaying a prisoner of war exchange is baseless, says a leading think tank.
The blame game is part of the Kremlin's efforts to undermine the confidence-building measure and wider peace negotiations, the Institute for the Study of War said.
Ukraine and Russia were set to exchange 500 prisoners of war each this weekend, after an agreement was reached to swap up to 1,200 soldiers each at talks in Istanbul and to repatriate the bodies of dead soldiers.
"The Kremlin remains committed to promoting narratives that vilify Ukraine, likely to socialise its domestic audience ahead of Russia's possible rejection of any peace agreement in the future and to discredit Ukraine on the international stage," said the ISW.
"The Kremlin's unwillingness to engage in good faith in lower-level confidence-building measures designed to facilitate larger peace negotiations further demonstrates Russia's disinterest in peace negotiations."
Kremlin aide Vladimir MedinAG百家乐在线官网 had said the Russian defence ministry's contact group was on the border with Ukraine to meet Ukrainian negotiators yesterday, but they did not turn up.
Ukraine said the list of prisoners Russia wanted returned did not meet the criteria agreed in Istanbul: young, wounded, or seriously ill soldiers.
MedinAG百家乐在线官网 also said that 1,212 bodies of killed Ukrainian soldiers were in refrigerated containers at the exchange point.
Ukraine said a date had not been agreed for their repatriation.
"Instead of consistently implementing the agreed algorithm, the Russian side resorted to unilateral actions that were not agreed upon within the framework of the joint process."