Poroshenko: Ukraine continues work on freeing hostages

By Diyar Guldogan

ANKARA (AA) - The "persistent" work on the liberation of Ukrainian captives will continue, President Petro Poroshenko said Friday.

"Persistent work on liberation of Ukrainian hostages wherever they are - in the occupied Crimea, in the occupied Donbas, in Russian prisons, remains one of our top priorities," Poroshenko said according to a presidential statement.

The president's remarks came during a meeting with newly released leading Crimean Tatar figures Ulmi Umerov and Akhtem Chyigoz in the capital, Kiev.

After having been convicted of "separatism" by a Russian court in Crimea, Umerov, deputy chairman of the Crimean Tatar Mejlis -- a representative body -- and Deputy Mejlis Chair Chyigoz were jailed on Sept. 27 and 11, respectively.

Umerov was sentenced to two years in prison, while Chyigoz got eight years. They were released from jail on Wednesday.

Poroshenko thanked his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan saying their common agreements and concerted actions of Kiev and Ankara resulted in the liberation of Umerov and Chyigoz.

"We believe that Ukrainian hostages will return home. We believe and know that Ukraine will be liberated from occupation. This applies both to the occupied Donbas and to the illegally annexed Crimea," he added.

After the meeting, Poroshenko awarded Umerov and Chyigoz with the order for merits.

Ukraine has been wracked by conflict since March 2014 following Russia’s annexation of Crimea after an illegal independence vote.

The UN General Assembly voted to proclaim the Russian annexation illegal.

Along with many UN countries, the U.S., the EU and Turkey also do not recognize Crimea as Russian territory.

Since the annexation of Crimea, the region’s Tatar minority has complained of repression, including arbitrary arrests and detentions.