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Kiev is ready to exchange one prisoner for three militias — Ukraine’s security service

Releases of prisoners of war was one of the key clauses in the Minsk Accords

KIEV, November 2. /TASS/. Kiev is ready for a mutual release of prisoners of war in Donbass and suggests that three imprisoned militia fighters be exchanged for one Ukrainian serviceman, Ukraine’s Security Service head (SBU) Vasily Gritsak told reporters on Wednesday.

"We are ready to exchange one (Ukrainian soldier) for three (militias)," said Gritsak, who is on a working trip to the city of Kramatorsk in Donbass.

As of today, 149 Ukrainians are held captive in the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR), 494 more are reported missing, he said.

At the same time, Gritsak claimed he knew nothing about a next exchange and mentioned no dates or numbers.

Releases of prisoners of war was one of the key clauses in the Minsk Accords. Under the document, prisoners need to be exchanged in line with the ‘all for all’ formula.

On September 22, DPR and LPR officials reached an agreement with Kiev on mutual releases of prisoners under the ‘all for all’ formula. The republics were set to release 47 people and to get 618 people back. The deal was sealed at a meeting of the Contact Group seeking to find a solution to the Donbass crisis on September 21.