Vice Speaker of the Ukrainian parliament Iryna Gerashchenko reached 112 Ukraine TV channel to comment on the issues related to Ukraine’s prisoners – both detained and held by pro-Kremlin militants in Donbas and those illegally held in Russia. The key quotes from her speech are listed below.
If Russia and their associates in Donbas decided to pass some of the Ukrainian POWs to our MPs, they should do that immediately. Besides, we highly advise that Russia carefully read the respective provisions of Minsk agreements…POWs and the illegally detained persons are different categories of people. There are no illegally detained people here in Ukraine; there are those who committed crimes against the Ukrainian state. So Ukraine demands and meets halfway with the other side to release our guys who are now illegally held in the occupied areas and in Russia. We do that all the time.
As for the amnesty, we want to stress this is absolutely different provision of Minsk agreement. The decision about amnesty for participants of military actions is made after these actions are over. Instead, there’s fire – every day.
The Ukrainian side had a tough time finding the whereabouts of 58 Ukrainian POWs held on the militant-controlled territory. 52 of those are in DOnetsk and six more in Luhansk. We sent the lists to OSCE, and they should pass them to the other side. After respective judicial procedures are complete, they'll get back home - in several days.
Earlier today, representatives of Russia-backed militants said thery were ready to negotiate with the Ukrainian MP Nadiya Savchenko on the issue of prisoners’ exchange.
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