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DPR ready to exchange prisoners only on "all for all" basis — ombudsperson

Prisoner swaps is a key clause in the Package of Measures for the Implementation of the Minsk Agreements

DONETSK, November 2. /TASS/. The self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) insists on the "all for all" prisoner swap formula, which is envisaged by the Package of Measures for the Implementation of the Minsk Agreements, DPR Human Rights Commissioner, Darya Morozova, said on Wednesday.

"We are ready to carry out prisoner exchanges in the format enshrined in the Package of Measures for the Implementation of the Minsk Agreements, namely, in accordance with the ‘all for all’ formula," the Donetsk News Agency quotes her as saying.

Vasily Gritsak, the head of Ukraine’s Security Service, said earlier that Kiev is ready for a prisoner swap in the conflict zone in the Donbass region and suggests exchanging three captive militia fighters for one Ukrainian soldier.

As of today, 149 Ukrainians are held prisoner in the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk republics (DPR and LPR), 494 more are reported missing, he said, adding that he knew nothing about the next exchange giving neither dates nor numbers.

Prisoner swaps is a key clause in the Minsk Package of Measures. According to this document, prisoners need to be exchanged in line with the "all for all" formula.

On September 22, DPR and LPR representatives reached an agreement with Kiev on prisoner exchanges in accordance with the "all for all" formula. The two self-proclaimed 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 held on September 21.