Ukraine to hand over 15 captured separatists to LPR and DPR as a sign of goodwill
Ukraine decided to release 15 separatists who are on the exchange list for the "DPR" and "LPR" as a “goodwill gesture.” Nine of them are seriously ill, and the others are women, as reported by the representative of Ukraine to the humanitarian subgroup of the Trilateral Contact Group, Iryna Herashchenko, on Facebook.
"In order to advance the process of releasing hostages before the New Year holiday, as part of the Minsk group we announce the transition of 15 of the 228 people who were requested by separatists to be returned. These people will be at home several days before the next meeting of the Minsk group on 21 December. It is a gesture of humanitarianism and goodwill," she wrote.
Herashchenko stressed that Ukraine is ready to exchange the other 213 separatists for 58 hostages held by the DPR and LPR organizations.
"If the Federal Security Service, the Kremlin, and their puppets decide to return Ukrainian hostages to one of the people’s deputies, they should do it immediately. Families don’t care who brings them home," Herashchenko added.
On 7 December, the DPR refused to exchange hostages.