KIEV - REBELS EXCHANGE PRISONERS

GORLIVKA : Ukraine and Russian backed rebels have swapped hundreds of prisoners in the war-torn east of the country, one of the largest of such exchanges since the outbreak of an insurgency almost four years ago.

The swap of captives, close to this town, 40 km northeast of the rebels stronghold of Donetsk on Wednesday, was an attempt to revive a tattered peace deal and between the Kiev army and rebels from the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics.

The war in the former Soviet republic broke out in April 2014, after Russia annexed Crimea the previous month.

The conflict has already claimed  more than 10,000  lives. A series of truce deals has lowered the level of violence, but did not end the bloodshed.

In the first exchange since September last year, the Russian-backed eastern militia handed 73 prisoners to Kiev. The Ukrainian side released 233 rebels and their supporters, officials from both sides said.