Russia and Ukraine have completed a prisoner swap, repatriating more than 300 prisoners of war in a deal brokered by the United Arab Emirates ahead of the start of the new year. On the Ukrainian side, the swap included some prisoners who had been held for over two years, including soldiers who defended Snake Island in the Black Sea and others who held out for months defending the southern city of Mariupol from Russia’s invasion.

Serhii: “My son is 5 years old now. The last time I saw him, he was 2 years old. That’s why my son probably didn’t recognize me. I used to have a beard and hair. He was 2 years old. I lost 44 pounds.”

Ukrainian officials say Moscow has released nearly 4,000 soldiers and civilians in deals with Kyiv since Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.