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Kiev, Donetsk continue talks on exchange of prisoners

The self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) is keeping not more than 30 Ukrainian military, the republic’s envoy on human rights Daria Moroz said

© Archive/Valeriy Sharifylin/TASS

DONETSK, January 4. /TASS/. Representatives of Ukraine’s military and of militia of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) began negotiations on a new exchange of prisoners, DPR’s envoy on human rights Daria Morozova said on Sunday.

“We have begun and continue now negotiations on exchange of prisoners,” she said in an interview with Donetsk’s news agency on Sunday. “The date is to be advised.”

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DPR addresses OSCE, ICRC to check information on tortures, abuse of prisoners in Ukraine

Earlier on Sunday, Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko ordered law enforcers to work harder to release the military kept prisoners in Donbas. He claimed the country had information about the location and the number of the arrested Ukrainian military. “We should do everything possible for their soonest release,” the president said.

Ukraine’s 30 military remain prisoners in Donetsk Republic

The self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) is keeping not more than 30 Ukrainian military, the republic’s envoy on human rights Daria Moroz said on Sunday.

“In the territory of the DPR there are not that many Ukrainian military - up to 30 people. Some of them surrendered themselves. Before the freezing temperatures, the Ukrainian military used to live at their temporary accommodations. But in the cold weather their shelters became unsuitable and they surrender,” she said in an interview with the Donetsk news agency.

She said Kiev had been keeping many more people from the DPR.

“We believe the number is about 220 people. The negotiations continue in the former format, where we were negotiating the biggest exchange, which happened on December 26, 2014. On that day, we exchanged 149 Ukrainian military for 222 our prisoners,” she said.

Earlier on Sunday, Ukraine’s President Pyotr Poroshenko ordered law enforcers to work harder to release the military kept prisoners in Donbas. He claimed the country had information about the location and the number of the arrested Ukrainian military. “We should do everything possible for their soonest release,” the president said.

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