Ukraine's Ombudswoman Says Prisoner Exchange With Restive East Frozen

KIEV (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th January, 2021) The Ukrainian parliament's commissioner for human rights, Lyudmyla Denisova, said on Wednesday that the prisoner exchange with the breakaway eastern region of Donbas was frozen.

"The release of illegally detained persons is being primarily discussed within the Trilateral Contact Group in Minsk. It can be stated at the moment that the process is frozen and nothing happens," Denisova said at a briefing broadcast on her Telegram channel.

According to the official, Ukraine is prepared to work toward resuming the exchange of prisoners.

The conflict in Ukraine began in 2014, when the army launched an offensive against the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, referred to together as Donbas, after they proclaimed independence from Kiev.

Their decision came in response to what they considered a coup in Kiev that toppled the old government in February of that year.

In 2015, the parties reached a landmark agreement on immediate ceasefire and exchange of prisoners with the mediation of the Normandy group, which besides Ukraine includes France, Germany and Russia. The agreement's implementation has been overseen by the Trilateral Contact Group.

Following a two-year pause, the sides exchanged prisoners in December 2019 � 124 people were released by Kiev and 76 people by Donbas. Another round of exchange took place last April, with 14 people released by Kiev and 20 people by Donbas.