Ukrainian troops, rebels exchange prisoners: media report

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Ukrainian troops and independence-seeking insurgents have swapped prisoners of war under the framework of Minsk ceasefire protocol, local media reported Friday. According to Interfax news agency, Ukrainian government forces released 222 rebel fighters in exchange for 150 Ukrainian troops during the swap that took place on the neutral territory. (Xinhua/Ermochenko)

KIEV, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian troops and independence- seeking insurgents have swapped prisoners of war under the framework of Minsk ceasefire protocol, local media reported Friday.

According to Interfax news agency, Ukrainian government forces released 222 rebel fighters in exchange for 150 Ukrainian troops during the swap that took place on the neutral territory.

Ukrainian politician Viktor Medvedchuk observed the exchange as a representative from the Kiev side, while Vladimir Kononov, the self-styled defense minister of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People 's Republic, has been delegated to the event by the rebel forces, the agency said.

There was no immediate confirmation of the exchange from the Ukrainian authorities.

Earlier in the day, Vasily Budik, an aide to the head of the Security Service of Ukraine, said a fresh round of war prisoner exchange with rebels will start Saturday.

Both sides have been holding hundreds of prisoners from months of fighting. However, the exact number of captives is unknown.

The prisoner swap is part of the Minsk ceasefire agreement signed between the two warring sides on Sept. 5 in an attempt to end the bloody conflict, but the agreement was never fully implemented.

Since then, more than 1,300 combatants and civilians have been killed in eastern Ukraine, bringing the overall death toll in the eight-month-old conflict to more than 4,700.

Related:

Ukraine broadens powers of top security body 

KIEV, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- The Ukrainian parliament on Thursday approved a bill granting more powers to the country's top security body -- the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC), said the legislature's press service.

The bill, which gives the NSDC the right to make decisions independently in emergencies without approval from the head of state or government, was passed with 253 votes in favor. Full Story

Russia warns possible arms supplies to disturb peace progress in Ukraine

MOSCOW, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) -- Any discussion or plan of possible arms supplies to Ukraine would disturb the peaceful settlement progress in Ukraine, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexei Meshkov said Friday.

"The international community should not further disturb the situation in Ukraine, but foster a peaceful settlement, a constitutional reform and a dialogue between Kiev and insurgents in eastern Ukraine," according to Meshkov. Full Story

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