Exchange may transpire under “52 for 85” formula – DPR

Comments and statements of the Ombudsman Media News

According to DPR Ombudsman Daria Morozova, the DPR is ready for the exchange with Kiev under the formula “52 for 85”.

Earlier Morozova stated that Kiev confirmed holding 82 DPR supporters, and the DPR is ready to release 50 Ukrainian militaries.

“At the moment, the Ukrainian side confirmed 85 people, and we confirmed 52 people,” she said.

According to her, the process of preparing for the exchange is blocked due to the fault of Kiev representatives. “The Ukrainian side does not guarantee that all people who will be the subjects of the exchange – those who haven’t been sentenced, their criminal cases are either at the investigation stage or under trial – will be completely cleared of charges or in case of conviction they will be pardoned, and the criminal prosecution will be dismissed,” said Morozova.

The DPR Ombudsman added that the OSCE coordinator Toni Frisch agreed to check the lists of participants of the next stage of the exchange upon the consent of all parties. “Donetsk People’s Republic does not object to this and is ready to provide all necessary assistance,” she said.

The latest exchange of prisoners between Kiev and Donbass took place at the end of December 2017. The parties to the conflict stated that the process of release of the detainees will continue.

In April 2014, the Ukrainian authorities launched a military operation against the LPR and the DPR, which declared independence after the coup d’etat in Ukraine in February 2014. According to the latest UN data, about 13 thousand people became victims of the conflict. The issue of resolving the situation in Donbass is under discussion, including through the meetings of the Contact Group in Minsk, which, since September 2014, has already adopted three documents regulating steps to de-escalate the conflict. However, even after armistice agreements between the parties to the conflict, exchange of fire continues.

Source: RIA