Poroshenko says Ukraine ‘frees’ 1200 people captured by rebels

People look at their apartment building after shelling in the town of Yasynuvata near the rebel stronghold of Donetsk on August 12, 2014/AFP

People look at their apartment building after shelling in the town of Yasynuvata near the rebel stronghold of Donetsk on August 12, 2014/AFP

KYIV, September 8- Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said on Monday that Kyiv had managed to “free” 1,200 people taken captive by pro Russian rebels during their five-month separatist uprising.

“In the past four days, we have managed to free 1,200 of our prisoners,” Interfax Ukraine quoted Poroshenko as saying as he arrived the flashpoint southeastern port city of Mariupol.

It was not immediately clear if the release was related to a prisoner swap the warring parties agreed to under a truce deal hammered out on Friday.