Ombudsman does not know names and whereabouts of Ukrainian prisoners visited by Red Cross

Dmytro Lubinets, the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights does not know the names of Ukrainian prisoners in the Russian Federation who were visited by representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Source: Lubinets, in an interview with Radio Liberty

Direct speech: "I know nothing... They [the ICRC – ed.] did not inform me personally, despite the fact that I communicate with them every week."

Details: According to Lubinets, he is currently trying to verify the information released by the ICRC on his own.

"The first piece of information is that the Russian side has allowed them to meet Ukrainian prisoners of war. And the second is that they have established cooperation, that now it will be possible to receive letters from Ukrainian prisoners of war. So far, I, as an ombudsman who communicates with them every day, have no confirmation on either of those two statements", he emphasised.

In general, according to Lubinets, the actions of ICRC during Russia's war against Ukraine are questionable at best; therefore, the International Committee of the Red Cross must "either change or disappear".

"This will not be an easy process... The Russian side does not allow them to visit Ukrainian prisoners of war, and they do not want to do anything about it, in my opinion, they do not publicly condemn it. They are not looking for new approaches, they are not attracting any new partners, they are not trying to put pressure on a country that does not comply with the Geneva Convention. Therefore, the mandate is not fulfilled. Here either you change your work, your approaches, or you disappear," the ombudsman emphasised.

Earlier: On December 8, representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross reported that they had visited Russian and Ukrainian prisoners of war. According to the organisation, they checked the conditions of detention of the prisoners, gave them news from relatives, as well as books, personal hygiene items, blankets and warm clothes.

At the same time, the ICRC did not specify which Ukrainian military personnel they visited and in which places of detention they had been to. 

Background:

• On October 13, the Office of the President of Ukraine made an "irrevocable demand" to the ICRC to send a mission to the colony in occupied Olenivka, where Ukrainian prisoners are held, within three days.
• In response, the Red Cross stated that it could not "force its way in" to Ukrainian prisoners of war illegally held by the Russian Federation, and did not have access to them. 
• President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly emphasised that the International Committee of the Red Cross should visit Olenivka where Ukrainian prisoners are held.

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