Putin calls for talks on state system in eastern Ukraine

A man stands at the top of a house destroyed during the recent shelling in the eastern Ukrainian town of Ilovaysk, Aug 31, 2014. Russian President Vladimir Putin called on Sunday for immediate talks on "statehood" for southern and eastern Ukraine, although his spokesman said this did not mean Moscow now endorsed rebel calls for independence for territory they have seized. [Photo/Agencies]

SWAPPING TROOPS

Russia has handed over a total of 63 Ukrainian soldiers who crossed the border into Russian last week in exchange for all the Russian paratroopers detained in Ukraine, a paratroop commander said Sunday, a gesture to ease tension.

"The negotiations were difficult. But common sense prevailed and everything ended well," said Major General Alexei Ragozin, deputy commander of the Russian Airborne Forces.

Ragozin said the Russian side had done everything for the soonest release of the servicemen.

"Today, an aircraft of military transport aviation has brought the Ukrainian soldiers to the Belgorod airport, and they were taken by buses to the Nekhoteevka checkpoint to be handed over to the Ukrainian side," he said.

Ukraine also returned a group of Russian soldiers it detained in the east of the country near the border with Russia, after keeping them for several days and sending them to a detention facility in Kiev.

Ragozin said Ukraine's behavior over the incident was unacceptable considering the fact that hundreds of Ukrainian servicemen who happened to cross the border into Russia were given all-round assistance and immediately handed over to the Ukrainian side.