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Russian ombudsperson notes importance of Minsk Agreements

Russian human rights ombudsperson Tatyana Moskalkova said that prisoner exchange in Donbass means that "people were released and will celebrate the New Year together with their families, relatives and friends"

Russian human rights ombudsperson Tatyana Moskalkova Valery Sharifulin/TASS

Russian human rights ombudsperson Tatyana Moskalkova

© Valery Sharifulin/TASS

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Zelensky thanks Normandy Four leaders after prisoner exchange in Donbass

MOSCOW, December 29. /TASS/. The implementation of the Minsk Agreements facilitates defending the rights of citizens in the conflict zone in Ukraine, Russian human rights ombudsperson Tatyana Moskalkova said on Sunday.

"Today showed that the full implementation of the Minsk Agreements is the only right way toward defending the rights of citizens in the conflict zone in Ukraine," Moskalkova said in a statement distributed by her press service.

She noted that the prisoner exchange between Kiev and Donbass means that "people were released and will celebrate the New Year together with their families, relatives and friends." "The Normandy Four leaders are to thank for that, as they made it possible, as well as special services and everyone who participated in this [prisoner exchange]," Moskalkova stressed.

She also added that ombudspersons of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics Olga Kobtseva and Darya Morozova did "a lot of work" in preparation for the prisoner exchange.

On December 29, Kiev and Donbass exchanged prisoners near the Gorlovka — Mayorskoye checkpoint. According to preliminary reports, Kiev handed over 124 people to Donbass, while Donbass handed over 76 people to Kiev.

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