The Ukrainian SBU is ready to exchange 200 prisoners with the DPR and LPR
The Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko agreed to sign an Act of Oblivion that will enable authorities to transfer more than 200 persons to the DPR and LPR in exchange for Ukrainian prisoners.
The Head of the Security Service of Ukraine, Vasyl Hrytsak informed journalists about the details, reported Interfax Ukraine.
“When will [there] be a swap? I want it to be today, tomorrow. We prepared for a swap. I’ll tell you the truth. And we are ready to swap more than 200 persons who expressed such a wish… We are ready to do this as soon as possible,” Hrytsak said. “We are ready to run the risk and the President is ready to sign the Act of Oblivion.”
In brief, 128 captured Ukrainians are being held by the DPR and LPR. There are almost 600 people that the separatists demand in exchange. Upon receiving this demand, verification was carried out with the participation of international mediators.
Authorities attempted to establish whether the prisoners wanted to return to the uncontroled Donbas. None of those among whom the verification was being conducted wanted to return.
Soon afterwards, the DPR and LPR put forward new requirements for the swap of prisoners. The Ukrainian authorities found them unacceptable.