Donetsk, Dec 27 – DAN. The release of three DPR supporters by Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) on 18 December was not an act of goodwill, DPR ombudswoman Darya Morozova told a news conference at Donetsk News Agency on Tuesday.
“Last Friday, the SBU agents dumped (three prisoners) in the buffer zone without any explanation. By no means could it be Ukraine’s act of goodwill; the move is inexplicable; it's just guesswork,” Morozova said.
DPR State Security Ministry (MGB) spokeswoman Maria Petrova told the news conference that MGB did not rule out SBU plot to assassinate DPR supporters in the ‘grey zone.’
“We don’t rule out that the three persons left on the contact line were to be killed. They had dollars given to them by SBU agents. Apparently the money was intended as payment to the ‘grey zone’ killer,” Petrova said.
At the Contact Group’s 21 December meeting, Ukrainian representatives were unable to explain the SBU move. “As I raised the issue at the Minsk meeting, SBU personnel were unable to answer saying they knew nothing about it,” the ombudswoman said.
One of the released detainees, LPR militiaman Vladislav Kondalov told the news conference that he had been kept in SBU prison from 21 August through 11 December 2016 and then taken into the ‘grey zone’ by SBU agents.
Earlier, Morozova’s office reported that Kiev forces had released three DPR supporters on 18 December. The men were lightly dressed and had no IDs. No other details emerged at the time.