Updated 8:12 p.m. Moscow Time
DONETSK, September 28 (RIA Novosti) - Independence supporters and Ukrainian forces have conducted another exchange of prisoners.
The exchange took place Sunday 30 kilometers (approximately 19 miles) north of Donetsk. The independence supporters handed over 30 prisoners of war in exchange for 60 that they received from the Ukrainian side.
The exchange was being monitored by representatives of the OSCE, who were present on both sides.
Today's exchange of prisoners follows several others that were conducted in the presence of OSCE representatives earlier this month. On September 21, the sides exchanged 28 prisoners each, while a previous swap of prisoners saw 30 detainees being exchanged by both sides.
The exchange of prisoners between independence supporters and Ukrainian forces follows an agreement reached on September 5 in Minsk, where the trilateral Contact Group on the situation on Ukraine convened a meeting. As a result of the meeting, the Kiev authorities and the self-proclaimed people's republics of Luhansk and Donetsk agreed on a ceasefire, which took effect on the day, as well as an exchange of prisoners. The sides also agreed to the opening of humanitarian corridors.
On September 19, the Contact Group convened another meeting in Minsk at which a memorandum of nine provisions was drawn up to regulate the implementation of the previously agreed bilateral ceasefire between Kiev and independence supporters in eastern Ukraine.
In April, the Ukrainian authorities launched a military operation against the pro-independence movement of the country's southeast not accepting the illegitimate government that was brought on by the coup this February. According to UN estimates, the five-month conflict has killed over 3,500 people and injured over 8,000.
