REUTERS
The Russian-backed militants in the occupied Donbas confirmed their readiness to hand 47 hostages over to Ukraine, according to Yuriy Tandit, the adviser to the head of the SBU Security Service of Ukraine, LIGA.net reports.
"Luhansk and Donetsk have confirmed that they are ready to give back 47 people," said Tandit. According to him, 618 people were identified from the list, whom the militants want Ukraine to return. "It would be incorrect to say that there will be a618 for 47 exchange because we will only hand over those whom we can, according to laws," said Tandit.
Read alsoUkraine's security service reports more Ukrainian hostages in DonbasHe clarified that the status of all 618 individuals and their location are being established. "Some of them do not want to go back there [to the occupied Donbas],"he said
The adviser to the SBU chief said that on August 3, an agreement was reached to swap prisoners according to an all-for-all formula.
Read also"All for all": DPR hints at possibility of prisoner exchangeAs UNIAN reported earlier, on September 17, representatives of the so-called LPR/DPR expressed readiness to exchange prisoners in the all-for-all format.