Detained OSCE observers in Ukraine might be released soon

Ukraine crisis

BERLIN -- Military observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) detained in eastern Ukraine might be released soon, German newspaper Bild reported Wednesday.

"It looks that there may be a release soon, without an exchange of hostages," Vyacheslav Ponomaryov, leader of pro-Russia protesters in the eastern Ukrainian city of Slovyansk, told the newspaper.

"We have an agreement with the OSCE and agreed to not give further details at the moment," he said.

A German-led Vienna Document inspection team and their Ukrainian escorts were detained by protesters in Slovyansk on Friday.

The team includes seven military officers -- three from Germany and one each from the Czech Republic, Denmark, Poland and Sweden -- and a German interpreter, along with five Ukrainian military escorts.

The Swedish inspector was released Sunday, as he reportedly suffers diabetes. Other team members are still being held captive.