Who came home in the 30 December 2024 swap?

What did the prisoner exchange of 30 December 2024 involve? Russia and Ukraine swapped hundreds of prisoners of war in a deal brokered by the United Arab Emirates.

Ukraine said that many of those released by Russia were soldiers captured during the Siege of Mariupol in 2022. That detail gave the exchange particular weight, since it covered fighters who had been held since the early months of the full-scale invasion.

The treatment of captives has been a recurring concern in the war. Both Ukrainian and Russian or separatist prisoners of war have suffered several forms of abuse, including mistreatment, exposure to public curiosity, torture and even execution. Against that record, each exchange that brings prisoners home carries significance for the families and units involved.

The role of the United Arab Emirates as broker was central to the arrangement of the 30 December 2024 deal.