A rare and historic breakthrough to mark the close of 2024 was that Russia and Ukraine managed to exchange more than 300 prisoners of war in a deal brokered by the United Arab Emirates (UAE). TheDecember 30th exchange comes after months of negotiation, which is hailed as one of the largest such swaps since Russia‘s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Details of the Prisoner Exchange
The Russian Defence Ministry said the swap included the return of 150 Russian servicemen from Ukrainian-controlled territories. In exchange, 150 Ukrainian soldiers, including some captured in earlier battles, were freed. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that 189 Ukrainians, including soldiers, border guards, and two civilians, were released from Russian captivity. These included several of its best defenders-Mariupol, Azovstal steel plant, Chernobyl nuclear power plant and Snake Island throughout the whole war.
He thanked everyone with the returned prisoners for his release with a tweet and photos, which depict some of those freed embracing theUkrainian flags. “We are working to liberate everyone from the captivity of the Russians. This is our goal. We forget no one,” he posted as a statement to his country.
HAVE A LOOK AT THE POST:
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
UAE’s Role in the Negotiations
The last exchange was the 11th of 2024 and was facilitated by the UAE, a key mediator between the two warring nations. The UAE has been lauded for its neutrality and humanitarian efforts during the conflict. In the deal, the two sides agreed to free a total of 300 individuals, which is another indication of the UAE’s role in negotiating peace.
Impact of the Exchange on Both Sides
Russia and Ukraine have conducted numerous prisoner swaps since the start of the conflict. According to Ukraine, they have freed 3,956 people, who include soldiers and civilians alike. The last exchange is highly significant since it represented the 59th since the conflict began. Russian prisoners included some taken while in Ukrainian service in a variety of regions. In this particular swap, the majority of those taken in were from when Ukraine advanced in the Kursk region earlier in the year.
A video published by Russia‘s rights commissioner, Tatyana Moskalkova, shows the emotional moment when soldiers released, dressed in winter clothes and military fatigues, begin to gather outside buses. There, Moskalkova expressed her gratitude for the service and courage of these soldiers, sending New Year greetings. “Very soon our guys will embrace their relatives and friends and celebrate the New Year in their native land,” she said.
A Ray of Hope Amidst the War
Although the prisoner swap cannot resolve the ongoing conflict, it represents a rare moment of cooperation and hope for both nations. As 2024 ends, the exchange serves as a reminder of the power of negotiation and diplomacy, even in the face of such a protracted and devastating war.
The successful exchange of prisoners marks a significant milestone in the ongoing efforts to bring peace to Ukraine and Russia. It also offers a glimpse of potential future exchanges as the war continues into 2025. Both sides have expressed a commitment to ensuring that more prisoners are returned, with the ultimate goal of bringing all captive individuals home safely.
