UN calls on Russia to grant ICRC access to Ukrainian POWs
The United Nations has called on Russia to provide the International Committee of the Red Cross access to all Ukrainian military held in captivity.
That’s according to a statement by UN Secretary General spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.
“The Secretary-General reiterates his appeal to the Russian Federation that the International Committee of the Red Cross be granted full access to all Prisoners of War, in accordance with international humanitarian law, including the Third Geneva Convention," Dujarric tweeted.
As Ukrinform reported, President Zelensky previously called on the International Committee of the Red Cross to act more actively and put pressure on Russia to gain access to Ukrainian prisoners.
"We, Ukrainians, can’t fight for the Red Cross to find an opportunity (to gain access to prisoners - ed.) The Red Cross must fight because it is their job, because they receive money for it, because the whole world is watching them, they must put pressure on Russia to get there," the head of state said.
After that, the ICRC said that they "share the frustration regarding our lack of access to all prisoners of war (POWs) held in the international armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine."
The organization also called for immediate access to all prisoners of war after criticism of their efforts was voiced by President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine.
On the night of July 29, on the territory of the former correctional colony No. 210 of Olenivka, in the temporarily occupied territory of Donetsk region, a powerful explosion obliterated a barrack where Ukrainian prisoners of war were transferred to ahead of the incident. According to the Russian side, nearly 50 Ukrainian defenders were killed, and more than 70 – seriously injured.
On the territory of Olenivka the Russian forces hold Ukrainian military personnel who, under the guarantees of international organizations, left the besieged Azovstal plant in Mariupol, so that they could be exchanged in the future.