Ukraine: New Round Of Prisoner Swaps Expected

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 27 Desember 2014 | 20.18

Ukrainian authorities and pro-Russian separatists are set to complete a prisoner swap which has already seen the release of almost 370 people.

Ukraine expects another four soldiers to be freed in the coming hours, Svyatoslav Tsegolko, a spokesman for Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said.

The number of separatists earmarked for release has not been confirmed.

The swap will complete a two-day mass prisoner exchange which forms part of a 12-point peace plan aimed at ending fighting which has claimed the lives of more than 4,700 people.

Ukraine handed over a total of 222 prisoners on Friday in exchange for 146 soldiers.

The swap, which took place in an area of no man's land north of the eastern rebel stronghold of Donetsk, was supervised by heavily-armed soldiers.

They were later met by President Poroshenko. 

"As a president and as an ordinary citizen my heart is full with joy," he said.

Although hundreds of captives have been released over the past few months, it was the largest single exchange since the conflict in eastern Ukraine erupted in April.

Announcing the swap on Facebook, Mr Tsegolko said Ukraine's security service, the SBU, expected the remaining four soldiers "to be able to celebrate New Year ... with their families".

The peace plan, agreed by both sides in September, also included a ceasefire which has since seen numerous violations. 

According to the United Nations, 1,300 people have died since the implementation of the deal. Nevertheless, fighting is reported to have decreased significantly throughout December.

Peace talks attended by envoys for Ukraine, Russia, the separatists and European security watchdog the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in the Belarussian capital Minsk ended without resolution on Wednesday.

The talks had been aimed at paving the way for the signing of a comprehensive peace accord on Friday, although the only deal reached was on the least contentious of four agenda points - the prisoner swap.

Ukraine has since suspended all bus and rail links to Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in March, citing security concerns.

The rebel uprising in eastern Ukraine began shortly after Crimea's annexation, and followed the overthrow of Ukraine's Moscow-backed president Viktor Yanukovych. 

It is not known exactly how many prisoners are still held by the two sides.

However, Ukraine said this month that about 600 of its nationals were in rebel hands.


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