US warns of Russia sanctions over Ukraine, despite prisoner swap

The United States warned Saturday it could level “serious sanctions” on Russia within days over breaches of Ukraine’s truce, which is in tatters despite pro-Moscow rebels and government forces exchanging scores of prisoners. AFP journalists in Ukraine’s eastern frontline town of Zholobok saw 139 Ukrainian soldiers traded for 52 separatist fighters late Saturday, in rare compliance of the otherwise much-violated truce which came into effect a week ago. Some of the released soldiers were wounded. A few had to walk on crutches through a landscape scarred and cratered by months of fighting.

If this failure continues, make no mistake, there will be further consequences including consequences that will place added strains on Russia’s already troubled economy.

US Secretary of State John Kerry

The insurgents said the prisoners included some troops seized this week when they overran the strategic town of Debaltseve, located between Lugansk and the other rebel stronghold of Donetsk. That bloody offensive — which killed 179 soldiers over the past month, according to one Ukrainian presidential aide — was the most egregious breach of the UN-backed ceasefire. Some 2,500 Ukrainian troops had to flee Debaltseve under heavy rebel fire, and at least 112 were taken prisoner. The Debaltseve assault and more than 250 ceasefire violations attributed to pro-Moscow fighters prompted a furious reaction from the United States, which blames Russia for the 10-month conflict.

World Ukraine