The Ukrainian side and representatives of the self-proclaimed Donbas republics have scheduled a meeting for January 18 to exchange lists of detained persons in preparation for an exchange, the Verkhovna Rada's Human Rights Commissioner, Valeria Lutkovska, said.

"Very important and necessary work, when we're updating again the lists, is currently under way; each side [is doing it] on their own. We should meet on January 18 and exchange relevant information and updated lists. Then negotiations on the next stage [of the swap] will begin," Lutkovska said in an interview published on the television channel 112.Ukraine's website on Wednesday.

She said she hopes that the next stage of the swap will go much faster, "because we have already agreed on and elaborated many procedures during the first stage. There are no more questions as to how to verify certain legal facts that occurred in the territory outside [Kyiv's] control, as well as in the Ukraine-controlled territory. I hope [the exchange] will go faster in this sense," Lutkovska said.

Ukraine will request at least 20 people detained in the territory outside its control for the swap, Lutkovska said.

"Ukraine initially sought over 94 people. Unfortunately, [only] 74 people were released during the recent procedure. Therefore, at least 20 people still remain in the uncontrolled territory. And the list of those for whom we are going to fight will probably be even longer," she said.