7 Sep 2014 11:13

Ukrainian presidential administration reports release of first hostages under Minsk accords

KYIV. Sept 7 (Interfax) - The release of the first hostages, Ukrainian servicemen, began on Saturday, press secretary of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, Svyatoslav Tseholko, told Interfax.

"According to the General Staff of Ukraine, two privates of the 9th battalion of territorial defense were released through Melovoe checkpoint (Luhansk region)," he said.

He said that the release of hostages was one of the conditions of the Ukrainian president for starting the peace process in Eastern Ukraine.

Thus the understandings reached at the session of the trilateral contact group in Minsk on September 5 are being implemented.