Seen in public for the first time since their capture in eastern Ukraine on Friday, European military observers have been paraded before the press.

Branded NATO spies by their pro-Russian captors, the observers were in the area under the auspices of the OSCE when they were seized. It has sent negotiators to Slovyansk to try to secure their release.

Looking sombre, the leader of the mission, Colonel Axel Schneider, said its members were in good health, telling reporters “We have not been touched”.

He added however: “We have no indication when we will be sent home to our countries and to see our families”.

The observers are from Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Poland and the Czech Republic.

Also being held by pro-Russian militia in Slovyansk, a further three captives have been presented as state intelligence officers sent from Kyiv.

Russian TV images showed the men blindfolded, gagged, handcuffed and tied to chairs.

As with the eight-strong European observer team, rebels have proposed a prisoner exchange, demanding that detained separatists be handed over in return for their release.