Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian insurgents exchanged 67 prisoners early Friday morning, a condition reached under a ceasefire to end the five-month conflict that has thrown Ukraine into chaos and strained relations between Russia and the West.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said 31 detained insurgents were handed over in the exchange that took place outside the rebel-controlled region of Donetsk, the Associated Press reported. Rebel fighters handed over 36 Ukrainian troops, the president said.
Delegates from both sides checked names off lists as the detainees were brought out and had their handcuffs taken off.
"There is an ongoing process of talks," Yuriy Tandit, a representative for Ukraine, told the AP. "We are meeting each other's demands and fulfilling our promises."
Another transfer is expected to take place in the next three days, Darya Morozova, who is handling the exchange for the rebels, told the news agency. The deal comes after both sides implemented a ceasefire last week, but so far it doesn't appear to be holding up. Rocket fire erupted in Donetsk shortly after the exchange.
Some of the 31 rebels were Russian citizens. One Russian, Simon Veridya, told the AP he was taken by force during a government raid on the town of Kramatorsk.
"They shot at our ambulance. There were five of us, including two women" he said. "I was beaten and have two broken ribs."
Russia has been denounced by the West for supporting the separatist uprising, which began in April after President Vladimir Putin annexed the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine. But Moscow maintains that is it not supplying weapons or troops for the rebels.
Russia also acknowledged the presence of its citizens in Ukraine, but said they are volunteers.
The annexation of Crimea was fueled by the ousting of former Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych, a supporter of Russia. Ukraine has leaned more towards the West since then, marked by the signing of an unprecedented trade deal with the EU in June, the AP reported.
Russia vowed to take action against Ukraine if the deal is implemented.
