In 2024, more Ukrainians were freed from Russian captivity than in the previous year, according to data published by the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War (POWs).
Over the past year, Ukraine conducted 11 prisoner exchanges and secured the return of 356 more people than in 2023. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, 3,956 people have been released, including 1,358 in 2024.
President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the numbers in his New Year video address published late on Dec. 31. "And I’m giving not estimates but precise numbers because each one represents a person, our person, a very important person," he said. "And with each return – we bring life back to Ukraine."
On Dec. 30, Ukraine successfully secured the release of 189 captives from Russian detention, including military personnel and two civilians.
The coordination headquarters described it as one of the largest exchanges since the start of the full-scale war. Among those freed were defenders of Azovstal, Mariupol, the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, Snake Island, and other key frontlines.
The released included 87 Armed Forces members, 43 National Guard members, 33 border guards, 24 sailors, and fighters from the Azov Regiment.
Stanislav Aseyev
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