Eastern Ukrainian separatist leader proposes prisoner exchange
On Sunday, August 20, the head of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) Igor Plotnitsky sent a proposal to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on a possible exchange of prisoners of war.
Plotnitsky suggested that Kiev be the first to release imprisoned separatists. The head of the self-declared republic that he would be prepared to release Ukrainian POWs the following day. He also added that the leader of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, Alexander Zakharchenko, agreed to follow his example.
According to Plotnitsky, he would not mind discussing the terms of the exchange with the deputy of Verkhovna Rada, Nadiya Savchenko, if Kiev endows her with the appropriate negotiating powers. At the same time, the leader of the Luhansk separatists said he was ready to talk about it with any other person "appointed by Kiev".