Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has announced that pro-Russian militants keep 151 persons as hostages as of today.

Prior to the recent release of 17 hostages, their number was 168, Poroshenko said when meeting with the mothers and wives of Ukrainian servicemen earlier taken captive, the presidential press service said.

" Their number has decreased by 17," the president said.

Poroshenko says that the release of hostages is a priority issue for him, he said. And this issue needs to be addressed quickly as among the hostages are injured people who need medical assistance, he added.