The grave of a 19th century Russian soldier of Polish descent has been moved to a museum over a year after it was found in northeastern Turkey, an official said yesterday. The corpse of the soldier has been claimed both by Russia and Poland, leaving Turkey in the middle of a diplomatic spat according to Turkish media outlets. Efsal Alantar, Ardahan's provincial director of culture and tourism, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that a team of experts carried out the transfer process.

In April 2017, the skeleton belonging to 19th century Lt. Col. Karl Karlovich was found by locals doing construction work in Turkey's northeastern province of Ardahan.The body, which was in a coffin decorated with a Russian Orthodox cross, was found in the Karagöl neighborhood of Ardahan - which fell to Russian troops in May 1877 - and then taken to a local museum.

Karlovich, an officer from the First Caucasus Army Corps' 20th Infantry Division, died in 1894 due to illness. His corpse was largely decomposed with only the military uniform he wore and his beard remaining intact.