NOVANEWS
Trucks from the Ukrainian armed forces and separatists deliver the bodies of the fallen in recent fighting for exchange on a road in eastern Ukraine. |
According to the Ministry of Defense of Donetsk, 140 prisoners were handed over to Kiev in exchange for 52 rebels and 4 mothers.
The self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) exchanged prisoners with representatives of the Ukrainian Army this Saturday.
According to the Ministry of Defense of Donetsk, 140 prisoners were handed over to Kiev in exchange for 52 rebels and 4 women, who are mothers of rebel fighters.
The exchange, which was one of the terms of the ceasefire agreement signed last week, was made near Luhansk, in the district of Slovianoserbsk.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko wrote on his Twitter account that he was informed the process had begun. “Shortly, 140 of our heroes will be free,” he wrote.
A deal reached by the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France called ceasefire to begin last Sunday, however the Ukraine’s military and rebel leaders accused each other of continuing to mount attacks during the past week.
Both sides were supposed to begin drawing back heavy weapons from the front lines Tuesday, but international monitors say this has not yet taken place.
The crisis in Ukraine, which began with the overthrow of President Viktor Yanukovych in 2014, has left more than 5,000 dead and almost one million displaced. The country also faces a serious financial crisis, with the ongoing rapid currency devaluations leading to massive inflation and significant difficulties in the country’s banking system.
According to the Ministry of Defense of Donetsk, 140 prisoners were handed over to Kiev in exchange for 52 rebels and 4 women, who are mothers of rebel fighters.
The exchange, which was one of the terms of the ceasefire agreement signed last week, was made near Luhansk, in the district of Slovianoserbsk.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko wrote on his Twitter account that he was informed the process had begun. “Shortly, 140 of our heroes will be free,” he wrote.
A deal reached by the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France called ceasefire to begin last Sunday, however the Ukraine’s military and rebel leaders accused each other of continuing to mount attacks during the past week.
Both sides were supposed to begin drawing back heavy weapons from the front lines Tuesday, but international monitors say this has not yet taken place.
The crisis in Ukraine, which began with the overthrow of President Viktor Yanukovych in 2014, has left more than 5,000 dead and almost one million displaced. The country also faces a serious financial crisis, with the ongoing rapid currency devaluations leading to massive inflation and significant difficulties in the country’s banking system.
