The Ukrainian authorities did not see the readiness of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to do everything possible to protect Ukrainians held captive by the Russian occupiers, according to the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak.
According to him, based on the results of the trip of the Ukrainian delegation to the contact line in the Zaporizhzhya region, which was not attended by representatives of the ICRC, the "striking scale" of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocidal crimes committed by the Russian Federation against Ukrainian prisoners of war requires all organizations that are engaged in compliance with the norms and requirements of international humanitarian law, at least a clear position and determination.
"Ukraine expects and demands from the International Committee of the Red Cross due determination in obtaining access to Ukrainian prisoners in Olenivka. After all, the organization was created for such tasks," Yermak was quoted as saying by the press service of the VP on Tuesday.
The Head of the Office of the Head of State added that Kyiv is aware that the main obstacle to the arrival of the ICRC mission to the place of forced detention of Ukrainians in Olenivka is primarily Russia's destructive and cynical position.
"At the same time, unfortunately, we do not see that the ICRC is working to protect our prisoners. Ukrainian society does not see this. They do not see native defenders," he emphasized.
Yermak also noted that the Ukrainian side has every reason to expect decisive proactive actions by the ICRC regarding the implementation of its humanitarian mandate, as well as a clear public position and communication of all its actions aimed at overcoming the most acute humanitarian challenge in Europe.
"The head of the Office of the President of Ukraine also called on other international organizations and humanitarian actors to take active steps, whose direct human rights mandate should not allow them to stand aside and passively watch as Russia continues to commit the most brutal crimes of our time," the OP concluded.