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Videoconference of humanitarian subgroup on Ukraine to take place on December 23

The videoconference will be held on the demand of the Ukrainian side, the press secretary of the Kiev envoy to Minsk talks said

MINSK, December 21. /TASS/. The videoconference of the Contact Group’s humanitarian subgroup will take place on December 23, Darya Olifer, press secretary of Kiev envoy to the Minsk talks Leonid Kuchma, said on Wednesday.

"The issue of freeing our citizens will be on the agenda of the Skype session of the Trilateral Contact Group which is due to be held on December 23 on the demand of the Ukrainian side," Olifer said.

Read also

Kiev’s envoy to Contact Group against changing format of talks on Donbass

Earlier today, after the session of the Contact Group, OSCE Special Representative for Ukraine Martin Sajdik said that Kiev expressed readiness to unilaterally free 15 people, including women and children, before the end of 2016.

Olifer confirmed this information and noted that Kiev demanded that Donetsk releases five teenagers illegally held in Donbass. "Representatives of separate parts of the Donetsk Region promised to release them to house arrest until New Year," the press secretary said.

Kiev first announced its plans to free 15 prisoners last week. Kiev’s envoy to the humanitarian subgroup Irina Geraschenko said then that they will be freed by the last Contact Group meeting on December 21. However, this did not happen.

Last weekend, one prisoner was handed to the Ukrainian side as a gesture of good will with mediation of the Russian Orthodox Church.

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