Ukraine to show prisoners unwilling to return to occupied Donbas under swap program, - SBU

In the presence of human rights defenders and international observers in Minsk, the Ukrainian negotiators intend to show persons charged with grave crimes against Ukraine who refuse to be taken to the separatist-held territory.

As reported by Censor.NET, adviser to SBU chairman Yurii Tandit said on air of Espresso.TV.

"We are ready to open doors of detention facilities where people charged with crimes against Ukraine are held - those who were included into the swap list under the Minsk agreements. We will invite a representative of human rights commissioner Lutkovska, everything will be done in front of the OSCE representatives who will guarantee that we are actually showing people who do not want to go back there," Tandit said.

The SBU chairman's adviser said that the prisoners afraid of being conscripted by the militants upon return to the "DPR"/"LPR."

"Many of them understand that they can be sent back to war against Ukraine. We are going to show that there are people who consciously refuse to return, although they are included into the militants' list drafted during talks in Minsk," Tandit added.

The representative of the Security Service of Ukraine said 118 Ukrainians are officially held hostage in the occupied Donbas while 10 more Ukrainian citizens are held in prisons in Russia.