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Developments in eastern Ukraine

Ukraine to hand over 40 captive militias to Donetsk republic

According to DPR ombudswoman Daria Morozova, the Ukrainian side continues to hold prisoner 1,340 Donbas self-defense forces

© TASS/EPA/ALEXANDER ERMOCHENKO

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All unofficial armed groups in LPR lay down arms — commandant’s office

MOSCOW, April 7. /TASS/. The Ukrainian side will hand down 40 captive militia to the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), the republic’s ombudsperson Daria Morozova told a briefing at the Donetsk News Agency.

"Ukraine is prepared to hand down 40 people," Morozova said.

On Monday, DPR unilaterally handed down 16 remaining prisoners to Kiev. The Ukrainian side continues to hold prisoner 1,340 Donbass self-defense forces, Morozova said.

"Kiev does not want to fulfill the Minsk agreements, which contain the provision on prisoner exchange on ‘all for all’ basis. We have already fulfilled everything from our side," the ombudsperson stressed.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko confirmed that Ukrainian servicemen were handed down to Kiev. "We hope to see a similar response [from the Ukrainian side]," Morozova said.

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Morozova noted that Ukraine does not release self-defense forces taken prisoner because there is no law on amnesty.

On February 12, negotiations in the so-called "Normandy format" were held in the Belarusian capital Minsk, bringing together Russian President Vladimir Putin, French President Francois Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. The talks lasted for around 14 hours. Simultaneously, a meeting of the Contact Group on Ukrainian settlement was held in Minsk.

As a result, the Minsk agreements were signed that envisage ceasefire in Ukraine’s south-east, heavy weaponry withdrawal, prisoner exchange, local elections in Donbass and constitutional reform in Ukraine.

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