On September 12, Russian occupiers fired on a convoy of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in the Donetsk region, killing three Ukrainian humanitarian workers. The organization's response has angered Ukrainian officials, including the Ukrainian Parliament's Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets.
During the national telethon, Lubinets said that the ICRC president reacted to the tragedy only in the evening and did not mention Russia in her statement. This caused outrage from the ombudsman, who emphasized that the organization must respond urgently, condemn the aggressor's actions and demand explanations. Lubinets believes that the Red Cross has hit rock bottom with its passivity and now there is no point in continuing its activities in both Ukraine and Russia.
Criticism of the ICRC for inaction regarding prisoners of war
In addition, the ombudsman stressed that the Red Cross is not fulfilling its obligations to assist Ukrainian prisoners of war in Russian captivity. Lubinets accused the organization of not visiting Ukrainian prisoners, although they publicly declare that they conduct such visits.
A call for reform and the creation of a new organization
Dmytro Lubinets also suggested appealing to the ICRC's donors to create a new, more effective humanitarian organization, as the Red Cross, he said, has lost its reputation and can no longer effectively perform its functions. In his opinion, closing the organization's offices in Ukraine and Russia is the only right decision after such incidents and inaction.
Reaction to the shelling of a humanitarian mission
Following the shelling of an ICRC convoy in Donetsk, the organization announced the suspension of its office in Dnipro. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the deaths of three people in the attack and noted that the two wounded were provided with necessary assistance.
