Ukrainian Ombudsman Blasts ICRS’s Decision to Leave Russia in the Committee

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has refused to expel the Russian Red Cross (RRC) from its membership, prompting Ukraine to inform the organization’s sponsors of this decision, reported Ukraine’s Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets.

Lubinets noted that he had repeatedly informed the ICRC leadership about the alleged crimes of the Russian Red Cross and demanded a transparent investigation and the organization’s exclusion from the Federation.

In the spring, the ICRC established a supervisory board to investigate the activities of the Russian Red Cross. Lubinets passed evidence of Russian violations to IFRC President Kate Forbes. However, the Federation’s report on the Russian Red Cross found “no violations”.

The report did acknowledge Russia’s occupation of Ukrainian territories and confirmed that the Russian Red Cross had visited these regions.

“The Russian Red Cross should only operate within its own territory. Their actions violate the ICRC Charter and Ukraine’s territorial integrity. Yet, the Federation justified these actions as ‘innovative approaches’ and ‘humanitarian reasons,’ Lubinets added.

The report also failed to mention theft of Ukrainian Red Cross property in occupied Crimea and the Russian Red Cross’s involvement in the deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia.

As a result, Lubinets announced plans to inform all donors who fund the ICRC, urging them to reconsider their contributions to an organization that, according to him, is covering up Russian crimes. He also proposed redirecting these funding to the Ukrainian Red Cross.

“In my view, the ICRC has become an advocate for the bloody Russian Red Cross. Those who shield criminals become criminals themselves,” Lubinets added.

Earlier, Ukrainian ombudsman described Red Cross’s lack of reaction to Russia’s crimes as “ostrich mentality”.