Military Observer Freed In Sloviansk

Pro Russian separatists in Eastern Ukraine have released one of a team of eight European moniters seized in the flashpoint city of Sloviansk , the officer a Swede was freed on medical grounds , it has been confirmed , the moniters were shown to the media on Sunday , a move described as "revolting" by Germany , the native country of four of the team

The remaining seven are still being held and diplomacy continues to try to secure their freedom , there is no word about a number of Ukrainian military officers who were seized along with the group

In Eastern Ukraine , gunmen continue to occupy official buildings in a dozen cities , defying the government in Kiev

Meanwhile , the U.S. and E.U. are preparing to unveil new sanctions against Russia , accusing it of destabilising

The foreign observers , operating  under the auspices of the organnization for security and co operation in Europe (OSCE) are from Germany , Sweden , Poland , Denmark , and the Czech Republic , they were  shown to the media on Sunday , led into Sloviansk town hall by masked gunmen

German monitor Col. Axel Schneider , who spoke for the group , stressed they were not Nato officers , contrary to claims made by the separatists , nor armed fighters but diplomats in uniforms "We are not prisoners of war , we are the guests of ( self proclaimed Mayor) of Sloviansk ( Vyacheslav) Ponomaryov and being treated  as such"

A spokeswoman for Mr. Ponomaryov told reporters the Swedish national who was freed "has a mild form of diabetes and so we decided to let him go"

Germany strongly criticised the groups appearance before the media "the public parading of the OSCE observers and Ukrainian security forces as prisoners is revolting and blatantly hurts the dignity of the victims"

Said a statement from foreign minister Frank Walter Steinmeier , he added that Russia  had a duty to "influence" the separatists so that the other members of the mission can be freed as soon as possible

The monitors who were captured are not part of the main OSCE mission in Ukraine , which Moscow agreed to , they are from individual OSCE countries  invited to Ukraine by the Kiev government

Earlier , Mr. Ponomaryov said there was a possibility of exchanging the monitors for milita members held by the Kiev government

Russia , an OSCE member has pledged to "take all possible steps" to  secure the observers release 

Kiev has accused the militia of using the Europeans as a "human sheild"

The West has blamed Moscow for formenting a secessionist revolt in Eastern Ukraine , after it annexed Crimea , Moscow denies the claims 

Russiann foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said Ukraine must end military operations in the East of the country as part of urgent measures to defuse the crisis