"A total of 172 people are still held in militant captivity. This number varies, as we manage to release our guys and also because the information on POWs is [sometimes] not confirmed, unfortunately," she said.
According to Gerashchenko, the search for missing in action and identification of the victims continues.
"As of today, 846 people are considered MIAs in the Donbas conflict zone," she said.
As UNIAN reported earlier, on August 16, at the last moment the militants of the so-called DPR [Donetsk People's Republic] thwarted long-awaited POW swap and put forward demands which the Ukrainian negotiators could not agree due to security reasons.
The two sides seemed to have reached the final agreement just two days ago, after three-month long negotiations.
Reportedly 13 Ukrainian POWs were supposed to be exchanged for 13 detained militants.
Among the Ukrainian troops to be freed were officers who had been held captive for over a year after the events near Ilovaisk.
However, at the last moment, the militants suddenly came up with new demands, pushing for the swap to be carried out in the territory of a so-called “DPR”, instead of a neutral zone.
The talks might resume on Monday, August 17, according to Yuriy Tandyt, adviser to the SBU head.
