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Donetsk rejects Kiev’s proposal of ’16 for 6’ prisoner swap - ombudsperson

At the end of January, the DPR said it wanted to request Kiev for 84 people within the framework of a new prisoner swap

DONETSK, February 16. /TASS/. The self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) rejects Kiev’s proposal to hold a prisoner swap under the "16 for 6" formula, DPR ombudsperson Darya Morozova has said.

"The ’16 for 6’ formula, suggested by the Ukrainian side, includes individuals who have earlier been divided into the so-called categories. This proposal is unacceptable for us, because we regard an end to the practice of dividing into categories by the Ukrainain side as an opportunity to hold a full-fledged second round of swap under the ‘all for all’ formula," the Donetsk News Agency quoted her as saying.

According to Morozova, the list has 11 individuals not related to the operation in Donbass, and one person accused of grave crimes. In addition, Kiev suggested to swap four people not requested by Donetsk.

At the end of January, the DPR said it wanted to request Kiev for 84 people within the framework of a new prisoner swap. The LPR hopes for the return of over 100 people.

The all-for-all prisoner exchanges is one of the key provisions of the Package of Measures for the Implementation of the Minsk agreements that was signed in the Belarusian capital Minsk on 12 February 2015, after marathon talks between the leaders of Russia, Germany, France and Ukraine.

On December 27, 2017, a prisoner swap, the largest so far, took place near the line of engagement in Donbass. Kiev handed over 233 prisoners to the Donbass republics and received 73 in return. Both parties stressed that the prisoner exchange process had not been completed and they were determined to do everything possible to continue it in 2018.