A senior OSCE mediator in southeastern Ukraine, Mark Etherington, and the self-styled prime minister of the self-proclaimed "Donetsk People's Republic," Aleksandr Borodai, spoke late on June 28 to journalists in Donetsk after pro-Russian separatists released the remaining four out of the total of eight kidnapped monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) who had been held in captivity since May 29.
Etherington: "The detention of the OSCE monitors has substantially constrained operations in the eastern Ukraine at the time when the flow of objective information has never been more important, particularly when consultations [between Kyiv authorities and separatists] continue. We consider the continued work of the mission essential in helping to restore peace and stability throughout Ukraine."
Borodai: "We have fulfilled our commitments and released all OSCE monitors. It was not easy -- they were not with commanders who are under our control. However, we have secured their release."
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Ukraine's military says five soldiers were killed and at least 17 injured in the past 24 hours in eastern Ukraine, despite a cease-fire between security forces and pro-Russian separatists.
A military spokesman said three soldiers were killed in an attack on an army roadblock near the city of Slovyansk, in Donetsk region.
Another two were killed when separatists attacked a military convoy in Luhansk region.
There have been dozens of violations of the weeklong cease-fire extended by President Petro Poroshenko on June 27 by 72 hours.
The cease-fire which is part of a peace plan announced by Poroshenko last week. is now set to expire on June 30.
On June 28, the separatists released four out of a total of eight OSCE monitors they seized on May 29. The other four monitors were released earlier. (UNIAN and Interfax)
Demonstrators calling for an end to President Petro Poroshenko's cease-fire with pro-Russian separatists in the east of the country are gathering today in Kyiv's Independence Square, the scene of months-long protests that toppled the last president.
LIVE stream of the Maidan protests:
Some of the protesters in Kyiv are threatening new President Petro Poroshenko with the fate of his predecessor if he doesn't come talk to them.