Ukraine has unexpectedly postponed exchanging prisoners of war and accepting the bodies of killed soldiers for an indefinite period, Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky said on Saturday.Russia and Ukraine held the second round of peace talks in Istanbul on Monday where they agreed to exchange more prisoners - focusing on the youngest and most severely wounded - and to return the bodies of 12,

A large-scale prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine has been delayed, and both sides are accusing each other of stalling the swap.

Russia on Saturday accused Ukraine of postponing a large-scale exchange of captured soldiers, hours after Moscow's army launched a barrage of missiles, drones and bombs across the country.The Ukrainian air force said Russia had fired 206 drones and nine missiles in the overnight barrage.

Russia struck Ukraine with a thunderous aerial bombardment overnight, further dampening hopes that the warring sides could reach a peace deal anytime soon.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz encouraged the president in an Oval Office meeting to help end the war.

Russian forces attacked Ukraine's second-biggest city Kharkiv with drones, missiles, and KAB guided bombs, local officials said.