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Ukraine crisis: Second OSCE team freed in Donetsk Ukraine crisis: Second OSCE team freed in Donetsk
(35 minutes later)
Four European monitors have been released by pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine, officials say.Four European monitors have been released by pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine, officials say.
The observers, who were working for the Organization for the Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), were detained by gunmen last month. The Organization for the Security and Co-operation in Europe observers were detained last month. Another OSCE team was released earlier this week.
The four were released in the city of Donetsk. Another OSCE team held since May was released earlier this week. The move comes amid a shaky ceasefire between government forces and rebels.
A ceasefire between government forces and rebels was extended on Friday but fresh clashes have put it in doubt. President Petro Poroshenko extended the week-long truce on Friday for three days, but fresh clashes have put it under increasing strain.
In all, two teams - a total of eight international monitors and a Ukrainian translator - were detained in eastern Ukraine in late May. 'A path of peace'
Four of the group who were kidnapped on 26 May in the Donetsk region were freed in the early hours on Friday. In all, two observer teams - a total of eight international monitors and a Ukrainian translator - were detained by gunmen in eastern Ukraine in late May.
Negotiations for the release of the other group, who were taken on 29 May in Luhansk province, had intensified in recent days. Four of the group - kidnapped in the Donetsk region on 26 May - were freed in the early hours on Friday.
Negotiations for the release of the other group, who were taken on 29 May in Luhansk, had intensified in recent days.
Footage on a Russian TV news channel showed the three men and a woman shaking hands with OSCE representatives and entering a hotel in Donetsk city.
In a statement, OSCE chairman Didier Burkhalter said he was relieved to hear of the group's release and said the OSCE was ready to help implement President Poroshenko's peace plan.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had publicly called for the release of all hostages under the terms of the temporary ceasefire.
He had also called for a long-term truce to allow for further negotiations between the Ukrainian government and separatists, urging Mr Poroshenko to embark on a "path of peace".
Mr Poroshenko set out a 15-point peace plan on 20 June. It involves decentralising power and holding early local and parliamentary elections.
It also proposes the creation of a 10km (six-mile) buffer zone on the Ukrainian-Russian border, and a safe corridor for pro-Russian separatists to leave the conflict areas.
The ceasefire came under increasing strain on Saturday amid reports of fresh clashes between government forces and rebels in the east of the country.
Ukrainian military sources said at least one soldier had been killed near the rebel stronghold of Sloviansk.
Some rebel leaders have said they will observe the truce but others oppose it.
The Unian news agency quoted a Ukrainian National Security and Defence Council spokesman as saying the government reserved the right to cancel the truce if the breaches continued.
But it also quoted Defence Minister Mykhailo Koval as saying: "Everyone knows that a bad peace is better than a good war."