Ukraine has made significant strides this year concerning prisoner exchanges with Russia, conducting 11 such exchanges and releasing 1,358 individuals, both military personnel and civilians, from captivity. This announcement came during the year-end meeting of Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters, where the body reviewed its activities and accomplishments for 2024.
The meeting was chaired by Kirill Budanov, the head of the Coordination Headquarters, who remarked, "The past year has been challenging yet productive. We succeeded in liberations, with 356 more individuals freed compared to 2023." He emphasized the establishment of new support systems for families of the captives and highlighted the creation of public councils to facilitate these efforts.
Andrey Yusov, the deputy head of the Coordination Headquarters, detailed the statistics and overall effectiveness of the team's operations over the year. "The indicators for our office's activities have significantly improved, particularly with family engagement and service delivery,” Yusov said, indicating growth in consultations and public outreach.
During the exchanges, Ukraine successfully negotiated the return of three times more bodies of its defenders compared to previous years. This progress was cited as evidence of more effective negotiations and search efforts. Yusov noted, “This shows we can successfully conduct searches and negotiations.”
The meeting also addressed various reformative measures to improve how the office handles prisoners of war, including changes to the governing procedures of the Coordination Headquarters and partnerships with international humanitarian organizations. Dmitry Usov, the Secretary of the Headquarters, commented on the comprehensive support system for released defenders, civilians, and their families.
On another front, as of January 2025, Russia's minimum wage has been increased significantly, now exceeding 28,000 rubles in Saint Petersburg, as reported by "Komsomolskaya Pravda". This new minimum wage surpasses the previous year's rate of 25,000 rubles and marks part of federal-level increases, which rose from 19,242 rubles to 22,440 rubles monthly. The article notes the variations of minimum wage across Russian regions, with Moscow's rate being around 33,000 rubles.
Despite positive economic adjustments, Russia continues to grapple with rising issues of gambling addiction, especially among its youth. Reports indicate concerning trends fueled by the impact of COVID-19, with the Tokyo-based Society for the Treatment of Gambling Addiction noting an alarming 11-fold increase in consultation requests over the past five years. Many individuals are now resorting to "yami baito"—illegal online side jobs—as they face mounting debts linked to gambling.
Overall, 2024 has seen Ukraine increasingly focus on the welfare of its citizens captured during the conflict and on improving institutional responses to such humanitarian crises. The progress on prisoner exchanges reflects both negotiation successes and the strategic importance of international cooperation. Meanwhile, Russia's economic changes suggest attempts to stabilize and address internal issues, such as wage adjustments, amid rising concerns over social issues like gambling addiction.