Ukraine, rebels exchange POWs
Handover is first step in recent peace accord
ZHOLOBOK, Ukraine – Ukrainian military and separatist representatives exchanged dozens of prisoners under cover of darkness at a remote frontline location Saturday evening, kicking off a process intended to usher in peace to the conflict-ridden east.
One hundred and thirty-nine Ukrainian troops and 52 rebels were exchanged, according to a separatist official overseeing the prisoner swap at a no man’s land location near the village of Zholobok, about 12 miles west of the rebel-held city Luhansk.
A busload of Ukrainian soldiers in military fatigues was transported earlier in the day from the main rebel stronghold of Donetsk to a rural spot about 90 miles to the northeast, before joining other groups of fellow captives.
After arriving at the location near Zholobok, the troops were made to line up and listen to a speech by a rebel representative, who ordered the men to leave the territory claimed by the separatist movements in the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.
The soldiers – some of them using crutches, while one was carried on a stretcher – then walked for about 2 miles to a rendezvous point.
The peace agreement signed last week in Minsk foresees an exchange of all prisoners in the conflict. It is unclear how many are held in total on both sides, although the Donetsk separatists have said Ukraine is holding about 580 rebels as prisoners.
The agreement reached in the Belarusian capital Minsk by the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France called for the guns to go quiet today.
The warring sides were supposed to begin drawing back heavy weapons from the front lines Tuesday, but international monitors say they’ve seen no sign of that yet.
Russian and Ukrainian military officials overseeing the hoped-for peace process announced Friday the Ukrainian government and the rebels had worked out a plan to begin the weapons pull-out.
Heidi Tagliavini, an envoy for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe who led the talks with Russia and Ukraine that also included rebel figures, remained cautiously hopeful.
“There is not a single day in the Ukrainian conflict when we can feel sure what the next day will bring,” she said.