RUSSIA-UKRAINE: The first prisoner exchange of 2025 after the 11 swaps in 2024. EU ‘out of the game’

HRWF (31.01.2025) – On 15 January, 25 soldiers and civilians returned to Ukraine from Russian captivity. The same number of prisoners was handed over to Russia.

Our research below shows that the new exchange took place again with the support of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the EU was again “out of the game” despite repeated public statements that the EU is “deeply involved” in the repatriation of Ukrainian prisoners of war and deported children. Their last statement was made at the 28 January session of the Subcommittee for Human Rights of the European Parliament in Brussels.

Ukrainian President Zelensky said that among those released there were defenders of Mariupol and Azovstal, as well as Kharkiv, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson. He also noted that they were seriously injured and ill.

Among the returnees there was also a civilian. The occupiers seized him in the Kyiv region and illegally detained him. The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War said that all repatriated servicemen were soldiers, including sailors. The youngest released is 24 years old and the oldest 60.

The injured have, in particular, vision loss, limb amputations, complex wounds caused by bullets and land mines. Among the diseases are tuberculosis, oncology, gangrene…

Overview of the 11 exchanges or prisoners of war (POW) in 2024

 

December 2024

Source :  Hundreds of soldiers freed in the latest prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine (AP)

Approximate date: End of December

Approximate numbers:

According to Kyiv: 189 Ukrainians

87 soldiers from the army including 14 officers, 43 from the national guard, 33 border guards, 24 from the navy and two civilians.

According to Moscow:

150 Ukrainians/ 150 Russians

Facilitator of the exchange:  U.A.E.

 

 

October 2024

Source : 95 at large: LIST of those released from captivity 18 October 2024   

Russia, Ukraine conduct prisoner swap, exchange of bodies

Approximate date: 18 October

Approximate numbers:

According to Kyiv: 95 Ukrainians

Among those released from captivity: National Guardsmen, military sailors, soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, border guards, representatives of other units of the Security and Defense Forces. 69 soldiers and sergeants and 26 officers.

According to Moscow: The Ministry of Defense reported on the exchange of prisoners of war between the Russian Federation and Ukraine in the “95 for 95” format

95 Ukrainians/ 95 Russians

Facilitator of the exchange:  U.A.E.

September 2024

Source : For the second day in a row. Ukraine exchanged another 103 soldiers

Approximate date: 14 September

Approximate numbers:

According to Kyiv: 103 Ukrainians

Among them: privates and sergeants, 21 officers, and there were also two Chernobyl guards.

According to Moscow The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation announced the return of 103 soldiers captured in the Kursk region

103 Ukrainians/ 103 Russians

Facilitator of the exchange:  U.A.E.

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Source : Defenders of Azovstal and not only. Ukraine returned another 49 soldiers from captivity 

Approximate date: 13 September

Approximate numbers:

According to Kyiv: 49 Ukrainians

Among the released are 23 soldiers and sergeants, 19 officers, 7 are civilians. Among them were 23 women, including Ukrainian civilians, who were illegally detained by the Russians.   It was also possible to release women who were subjected to inhumane treatment, in particular, due to forced participation in the so-called “trial” of the defenders of Mariupol. Crimean activist Nienia Umerova, who was captured by the Russians while crossing the border of Georgia, was released.

According to Moscow: Russia and Ukraine exchanged prisoners

49 Ukrainians/ 49 Russians

Facilitator of the exchange:  U.A.E.

August 2024

Source : On August 24, Ukraine exchanged prisoners of war with the Russian side with the assistance of the United Arab Emirates. 115 Ukrainian soldiers returned home  

Approximate date: 24 August

Approximate numbers:

According to Kyiv: 115 Ukrainians

These were soldiers of the National Guard, the Armed Forces, the Navy, the State Border Guard Service

According to Moscow: The Ukrainian side returned 103 Russian soldiers captured in the Kursk region, the same number of servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were handed over to Kyiv

115 Ukrainians/ 115 Russians

Facilitator of the exchange:  U.A.E. 

July 2024

Source : Exchange with the Russian Federation: 95 prisoners of war returned to Ukraine  

Approximate date: 17 July

Approximate numbers:

According to Kyiv: 95 Ukrainians

These were soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard and border guards.

According to Moscow: The exchange of prisoners between the Russian Federation and Ukraine on July 17 was the fifth since the beginning of 2024

 95 Ukrainians/ 95 Russians

Facilitator of the exchange:  U.A.E.

 

June 2024

Source : Ukraine returned 90 fighters from Russian captivity, including defenders of Mariupol  

Approximate date: 25 June

Approximate numbers:

According to Kyiv: 90 Ukrainians

These were soldiers of the National Guard, Navy, armies, territorial defenders and border guards.

According to Moscow:  Another exchange of prisoners of war was carried out: 90 Russian servicemen were returned

90 Ukrainians/ 90 Russians

Facilitator of the exchange:  U.A.E.

May 2024

Source : Ukraine returned 90 fighters from Russian captivity, including defenders of Mariupol  

Approximate date: 31 May

Approximate numbers:

According to Kyiv: 75 Ukrainians

These were sergeants and officers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard of Ukraine, the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine and civilians. 19 people captured from Zmiinyi Island, 10 defenders of Mariupol and Azovstal, Ukrainian soldiers captured in different locations.

According to Moscow: Special operation, May 31: Russia and Ukraine exchanged prisoners

75 Ukrainians/ 75 Russians

Facilitator of the exchange:  U.A.E.

February 2024

 

Source (Title and link):  A new exchange of prisoners took place 100 for 100

Approximate date: 8 February

Approximate numbers:

According to Kyiv: 100 Ukrainians

Among the rescued servicemen there were 49 soldiers of the National Guard of Ukraine, 25 border guards, 26 servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, including 11 territorial defenders.

According to Moscow:  Russia and Ukraine exchanged a hundred soldiers each

100 Ukrainians/ 100 Russians

Facilitator of the exchange:  U.A.E.

January 2024

 

Source: Ukraine has returned more than 200 people from captivity of the Russian Federation. Here’s What We Know

Approximate date: 31 January

Approximate numbers:

According to Kyiv: 207 Ukrainians

These 207 Ukrainians were soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard, the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, the National Police — private people, sergeants, and officers.

According to Moscow: How the largest exchange of prisoners between Russia and Ukraine took place

195 Ukrainians/ 195 Russians

Facilitator of the exchange:  U.A.E.

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3 January 2024

Source: The largest exchange of prisoners during the full-scale invasion: 230 Ukrainians were released

Approximate date: 3 January

Approximate numbers:

According to Kyiv: 230 Ukrainians

Among them were 130 people – 55 servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine – 38 soldiers of the National Guard – 1 State Border Guard Service – National Police and 6 civilians who were illegally deprived of their liberty.

According to Moscow: The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation returned 248 servicemen from Ukrainian captivity

230 Ukrainians/ 248 Russians

Facilitator of the exchange: U.A.E.

Photo: Prisoner exchange carried out with the support of the UAE / Credit: Andriy Yermak.