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Donetsk Militia Receives 12 Prisoners Released by Kiev

© AP Photo / Darko VojinovicDonetsk People's Republic self-defense forces guards checkpoint in the town of Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2014
Donetsk People's Republic self-defense forces guards checkpoint in the town of Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2014 - Sputnik International
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The DPR military announced that Kiev authorities on Wednesday had released 12 prisoners-of-war as part of a prisoner exchange with the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic in eastern Ukraine.

DONETSK (Sputnik) — Kiev authorities on Wednesday released 12 prisoners-of-war as part of a prisoner exchange with the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic in eastern Ukraine, the DPR military said.

"We took ours today, tomorrow we will release their [Ukrainian] prisoners," a spokesman for the DPR Defense Ministry was quoted by the Donetsk news agency as saying.

The conflicting sides in Ukraine have earlier agreed to carry out '12 for 12' prisoner exchange on Wednesday night, but it was briefly interrupted by sporadic gunfire in the vicinity of the transfer point.

Ukrainian servicemen stand on an armoured personal carrier (APC) with an Ukrainian flag, before leaving for Ukrainian forces' positions in Staroignativka village, Donetsk region on August 12, 2015 - Sputnik International
Kiev Gathers Huge 65,000-Strong Army on Frontline Near Donetsk
In 2014, Kiev launched a military offensive in the country's east against local militias who refused to recognize what they viewed as a coup-imposed government in the country.

In February, the warring sides signed a peace deal in Minsk. Prisoner swaps, as well as an all-out ceasefire, a heavy arms withdrawal and decentralization, were key provisions in the Minsk agreement aimed at bringing peace to Ukraine.

Last month, Kiev and Lugansk militias exchanged ten militiamen for an equal number of Ukrainian troops.

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