Luhansk militia, Kiev law-enforcers exchange dead fighters

Luhansk self-defense militia and the Ukrainian military have started to exchange the bodies of fighters killed during Kiev’s punitive operation in east Ukraine, the press office of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic said on Wednesday.

 

A temporary ceasefire had been reached between the warring sides for the dead fighters’ exchange proposed by the Ukrainian side, the press office said.

At first, about 100 coffins for the dead were brought to the building of the pro-Kiev regional administration, eye-witnesses said.

The Ukrainian military have already taken away all their dead servicemen. Representatives of the Luhansk People’s Republic are preparing to go to the town of Schastye where the second part of the exchange is planned.

 

“Despite the ceasefire accords that have been reached, there is absolutely no confidence that the Ukrainian side will not open fire,” the press office of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic said.

 

Journalists intending to cover the exchange have already been warned of a possible danger.

It has been relatively calm in Luhansk since Tuesday night. No explosions or gunfire are heard. No Ukrainian military planes are seen in the sky above the city.

The press-service of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic has said the authorities in Kiev had come out with the initiative.

The situation around Luhansk is relatively calm and no explosions or shots are heard. Donbass is calm at the moment, too. Ukrainian military early Wednesday morning were shelling the village of Semyonovka, the Donetsk Region. As a spokesman for the people’s militia has told ITAR-TASS the attack was a brief one. Some shops in the area of the standoff are open and no major food shortages are reported.

 

In the meantime, in Kiev President Petro Poroshenko told the media that government forces were conducting resolute and successful operations to restore control of the state border.

The authorities in Kiev have promised to make public a 14-point settlement plan on Thursday or Friday.