Militants release almost 2,500 Ukrainian troops - SBU head

Almost 2,500 people captured by militants have now been released in Donbas, Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) Chief Valentyn Nalyvaichenko has said.

"In the current circumstances the Ukrainian Security Service, among other things, has to handle prisoner exchange issues. You know that the center for exchange and release of people who are illegally detained by terrorists or Russian troops, and we have received 2,483 people back," he said in an interview with the online publication LB.ua.

He said that Ukraine released 1,553 persons for exchange.

Nalyvaichenko said there are no plans to exchange the 19-year-old woman sniper nickname Ecstasy for the Ukrainian military.