Despite the Russian-backed separatists’ May 2 release of 12 hostages,

including seven foreigners from an OSCE military monitoring mission, 24 people

are still being held hostage in Donestsk Oblast by the militants.

All but one – a Georgian citizen abducted on May 2 – is Ukrainian.

Altogether, 74 people were kidnapped in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts since April

13. Most were released; three were killed.