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| Russia and Ukraine in controversial prisoner swap | Russia and Ukraine in controversial prisoner swap |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Pro-Russian separatists and Ukraine have begun the final phase of a long-awaited prisoner exchange, the office of the Ukrainian president said. | |
| Authorities agreed to the swap - aimed at improving relations between the two countries - at talks in December. | Authorities agreed to the swap - aimed at improving relations between the two countries - at talks in December. |
| The pro-Russian separatists reportedly received 63 prisoners in exchange for 25 Ukrainian detainees. | |
| Relations between the two countries deteriorated in 2014, when Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean peninsula. | Relations between the two countries deteriorated in 2014, when Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean peninsula. |
| Russian-backed rebels then began an insurgency in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of eastern Ukraine. More than 13,000 people have been killed in the conflict. | Russian-backed rebels then began an insurgency in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of eastern Ukraine. More than 13,000 people have been killed in the conflict. |
| This is the second prisoner exchange between the nations. In September, 24 sailors seized by Russia in the Kerch Strait off Crimea in November 2018 were released and - controversially - a "person of interest" over the downing of flight MH17 which killed 298 people was handed to Russia. | This is the second prisoner exchange between the nations. In September, 24 sailors seized by Russia in the Kerch Strait off Crimea in November 2018 were released and - controversially - a "person of interest" over the downing of flight MH17 which killed 298 people was handed to Russia. |
| Sunday's swap is taking place at a check point near the industrial town of Horlivka in the Donetsk region. | Sunday's swap is taking place at a check point near the industrial town of Horlivka in the Donetsk region. |
| "At the Mayorske checkpoint the process of releasing detained persons has begun," the official Twitter account of the Ukrainian president said on Sunday. | "At the Mayorske checkpoint the process of releasing detained persons has begun," the official Twitter account of the Ukrainian president said on Sunday. |
| The pro-rebel Luhansk Information Centre quoted a local official saying the exchange had been completed and that nine people will remain in mainland Ukraine after refusing to take part in the swap. | |
| Ukrainian activists opposed to the swap blockaded the exit to the prison in the capital where some of the pro-Russian prisoners were being held. | Ukrainian activists opposed to the swap blockaded the exit to the prison in the capital where some of the pro-Russian prisoners were being held. |
| They objected to the release of former members of the Berkut - the Ukrainian riot police accused of killing forty-eight people during pro-democracy demonstrations in February 2014. | They objected to the release of former members of the Berkut - the Ukrainian riot police accused of killing forty-eight people during pro-democracy demonstrations in February 2014. |
| In a statement on Saturday, Ukraine's prosecutor-general's office said that defendants facing trial would still have to appear in court. | In a statement on Saturday, Ukraine's prosecutor-general's office said that defendants facing trial would still have to appear in court. |