Donetsk, Jan 22 – DAN. The DPR is to request 84 people held in Ukraine within the framework of a new prisoner swap, said DPR Ombudswoman Daria Morozova.

"We will officially demand 84 people (to be released)," she said.

She said that the lists with requested people had been passed to Ukraine, but no response had followed.

The prisoners swap, one of the biggest between DPR, LPR and Ukraine, took place on December 27, 2017 at a checkpoint outside Gorlovka. Ukrainian side passed 160 people to the DPR, while the Republic released 57 prisoners.

On the previous occasion, the exchange between Donbass and Ukraine took place in the autumn 2016, more than a year ago. Since that time, all attempts to coordinate a new swop failed as Kiev protracted talks creating problems and pretexts. The telephone call from Russian president Vladimir Putin to DPR and leaders broke the ice on November 15, as the initiative of Ukrainian special representative for humanitarian issues Viktor Medvedchuk concerning the POWs swop was discussed. Shortly after, the DPR announced it is willing for the exchange which is to take place before the year ends. *ot