15 December 2016, Thursday, 18:26 46

SBU: MP Savchenko Discussed Sanctions And Amnesty Of Militants During Meeting With Leaders Of "LPR" and "DPR" In Minsk

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) says, that Verkhovna Rada Deputy Nadiya Savchenko of the Batkivshchyna faction was discussing the question of lifting economic sanctions against the territories held by militants and amnesty of militants during her meeting with leaders of the so-called "Luhansk People's Republic" and "Donetsk People's Republic" Igor Plotnytsky and Alexander Zakharchenko in Minsk.

Yurii Kochanov, the head of the center for release of prisoners of war with the SBU, announced this at a news briefing, Ukrainian News Agency reports.

He says the SBU did not know that Savchenko visited Minsk.

"But I do know that not only the question of release of hostages was discussed, but following the meeting also questions were discussed behind the scenes concerning the removal of the economic sanctions against the regions and concerning the amnesty, which is also raised within our work," he said.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, Verkhovna Rada Deputy Nadiya Savchenko of the Batkivshchyna faction says, that she arrived at an agreement with leaders of the so-called "Luhansk People's Republic" and "Donetsk People's Republic" Igor Plotnytsky and Alexander Zakharchenko to swap 226 militants for 52 Ukrainian prisoners of war.

Savchenko says, that her meeting with Igor Plotnytsky and Alexander Zakharchenko was businesslike in nature and that she considered the outcome of the meeting positive.

The SBU has interrogated Nadiya Savchenko following her meeting with "ringleaders" of "LPR" and "DPR" in Minsk.