LUHANSK, June 19 (RIA Novosti) – Defense forces in Ukraine’s eastern Luhansk province are negotiating the possible exchange of hostages with the army loyal to President Petro Poroshenko, according to the leader of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR).
“We are being contacted constantly by the command of the Ukrainian army and the relatives of our captives asking for a swap. We are thinking about it. We are interested in getting our guys back. Talks are continuing,” LPR chief Valery Bolotov said.
Since mid-April, Kiev authorities have been conducting a special military operation to suppress the pro-independence movement in Ukraine’s southeastern territories.
Hundreds of people, including civilians, have died in the self-proclaimed Luhansk and Donetsk people’s republics in the east of Ukraine over the past months.
Earlier, Poroshenko said he would order a unilateral ceasefire in the east after his troops regained the upper hand on the border. Acting Defense Minister Mykhailo Koval said Wednesday that the plan was to wrest control of the area in a few days.
Moscow, which describes the ongoing military actions as a punitive operation, has repeatedly called for an immediate end to the bloodshed.
