Donetsk Separatists Release 16 Captured Ukrainian Soldiers

Pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine's eastern region of Donetsk have freed 16 Ukrainian captives.

The release happened on April 6 and the separatists said that it was a unilateral gesture.

Darya Morozova, the so-called ombudsman of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DNR), said the 16 were the last Ukrainian soldiers held as prisoners by the DNR.

The Ukrainian news website UNIAN posted a photograph of the soldiers boarding a bus.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko confirmed on his Twitter account the release of "16 of our heroes" and said they were already on route to the town of Kramatorsk.

Based on reporting by UNIAN and Interfax