Happy ending to 2024: Russia, Ukraine exchange over 300 prisoners of war in UAE-brokered deal

In conflict since February 2022, Russia and Ukraine made a memorable end to the year 2024 by exchanging more than 300 prisoners of war in a deal brokered by the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The Russian Defence Ministry said, “On December 30, as a result of the negotiation process, 150 Russian servicemen were returned from territory controlled by the Kyiv regime. In return, 150 Ukrainian army prisoners of war were handed over.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksyy said 189 Ukrainians, including soldiers, border guards and two civilians, returned home from the Russian-occupied city of Mariupol.

He added that those released included “defenders of Azovstal and Mariupol”, the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and Snake Island.

More from World

Nepal's new PM pays homage to people died during the Gen Z protest in her first national address This Week in Explainers: How recovering from Gen-Z protests is a Himalayan task for Nepal

“We are working to free everyone from Russian captivity. This is our goal. We do not forget anyone,” he further said.

Zelenskyy also posted photos showing some of the swapped men sitting on a coach holding up yellow-and-blue Ukrainian flags.

The return of our people from Russian captivity is always very good news for all of us. Today is one of those days – our team has managed to bring 189 Ukrainians back home.

These are military personnel: defenders of Azovstal and Mariupol, Chornobyl NPP, Zmiinyi Island, and… pic.twitter.com/9z7WLIh5Iu

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) December 30, 2024

Both sides said the latest exchange had been brokered by the United Arab Emirates.

Since Russia began full scale invasion of neighbouring Ukraine in February 2022, the two sides have exchanged hundreds of captive soldiers.

On Monday, Ukraine said that Russia released a total of 3,956 people – soldiers and civilians – in deals with Kyiv since the start of the conflict.

Meanwhile, the Russian prisoners released were mostly captured during Ukraine’s offensive in the Kursk region earlier this year.

Notably, the exchange marked the 11th such swap in 2024, bringing the total number of Ukrainian prisoners freed this year to 1,358. Also, it was the 59th prisoner exchange since the full-scale invasion began and one of the biggest so far.

Video released by Russia’s human rights commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova showed soldiers gathered outside buses, wearing winter clothes and military fatigues.

“I thank you for your service, patience and courage,” Moskalkova said, wishing them a happy New Year’s holiday.

“Very soon our guys will embrace their relatives and friends and celebrate the New Year in their native land,” she wrote in a Telegram message accompanying the video.

With inputs from agencies.