Russian-backed militants still hold 127 hostages in Donbas, - MP Iryna Herashchenko

127 people are still held in captivity by the militants in the occupied territories of the Donbas.

Iryna Herashchenko, the first deputy chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's representative in the subgroup on humanitarian issues of the Trilateral Contact Group resolving Donbas conflict wrote on Facebook, Censor.NET reports.

Herashchenko and Ambassador of Germany to Ukraine Ernst Reichel discussed Thursday security policy and humanitarian situation in the Donbas, activities of the Trilateral Contact Group and the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission.

"I told the ambassador about our efforts to liberate the hostages, whose number in the occupied territories has increased to 127," Herashchenko wrote.

She also called on Germany to put more pressure on Russia to make it intensify release of hostages and solve humanitarian issues.

"I am fully aware how important the role of Germany and personally Chancellor Angela Merkel is in preserving unity of the EU, the firm stance to maintain sanctions against the Russian Federation until the Minsk agreements are fully implemented.

"I know how much effort Germany and its leaders are making for a peaceful settlement of the conflict in the Donbas orchestrated by the Russian Federation. But I always - at all meetings with German officials - ask to put more pressure on the Russian Federation to intensify release of hostages and solve humanitarian issues. I emphasize that we give equal priority to humanitarian and security issues," she wrote.