Donetsk and Lugansk people’s Republic Ukraine has transferred the first group of 25 people within the first over the last two years of the exchange of prisoners. He runs in the area of the checkpoint of entry-departure “Gorlovka” — “Maori” on the line of contact in the Donbass.
On the question of whether they want to move to Ukraine, Kiev passed to the entity answered in the affirmative, reports TASS. According to the TV channel “112 Ukraine”, after the exchange they were taken to Kramatorsk, and then flown to Kiev.
Arrangement for the exchange of prisoners in the Donbass before the New year were adopted by the leaders “channel four” — Germany, Russia, France and Ukraine — at a summit in Paris on 9 December 2019. The exchange will take place according to the principle “all installed all installed”.
it was Reported that Donetsk and Lugansk will give Kiev 55 people and expect to get 87 their supporters. However the Ombudsman of the Donetsk national Republic Daria Morozova said that the numbers may change, and the Republic of Donbass will get a greater number of withheld by Ukraine entities. In turn, the Parliament Commissioner for human rights Lyudmila Denisova said that Kiev in the exchange intends to 80 people.
a Source on the organization of negotiations of the contact group, meanwhile, reported “Interfax” that Kiev and the Donbass agreed to exchange 200 detained persons. According to him, the representatives of the governments of DNR and LNR have made a commitment to convey to the representatives of Kiev held 80 individuals whose whereabouts and status are established and confirmed.
In response, the Ukrainian side has promised to return 120 supporters of the breakaway republics of Donbass, held in institutions of pre-trial detention or serving a sentence in the territory of Ukraine, controlled by Kiev.
“some of them had previously expressed disagreement with participation in the exchange, but later changed its position. All members of the list have passed the processswallow cleaning, they must return the identity documents”, — said the source.
it was also Reported that the number of exempt individuals by the Ukrainian side will include several former special forces soldiers “Berkut” accused of firing on the Maidan in 2014. On the eve of the Kiev court of appeals commuted them a measure changing it to a personal guarantee.
it was Reported that activists from night to block the exits from Lukyanovka jail in Kiev, where presumably there were Berkut officers declared on the exchange. However, the lawyer of the detained members of spetsnaz Igor Varfolomeev said that former employees of “Berkut”, who wished to participate in the exchange of prisoners in the Donbass, was taken from prison in Kiev, despite the protests.
According to the lawyer, he “can’t tell when they were taken — apparently at night,” reports RIA Novosti. Now five former employees of “Berkut”, who wished to participate, are at a checkpoint in the Donbass and expect exchange, said Bartholomew.
