Ukraine expects Red Cross to take more active steps in POWs release - Yermak

According to the President’s Office, Yermak met with a delegation of the Red Cross led by President of the ICRC Mirjana Spoljaric Egger.

Relatives of former prisoners of war also took part in the meeting: Kateryna, the wife of Commander of the Azov Separate Special Forces Detachment Denys Prokopenko, Tetiana Kharko, the sister of marine Serhiy Volynsky, as well as military medic Mariana Mamonova released from Russian captivity in September.

The Head of the President’s Office welcomed the President of the ICRC in Ukraine.

He said that the Russian aggressor continues committing genocide against Ukrainians by striking civilian infrastructure so that millions of people are deprived of electricity, water and gas supply during winter.

According to Yermak, the ICRC has not demonstrated effectiveness in the issue of ensuring the rights of Ukrainian POWs.

In particular, Kateryna Prokopenko said that representatives of the ICRC do not visit Ukrainian prisoners who are being held in unsatisfactory conditions. She called on the ICRC to get involved in finding out the whereabouts of the POWs, as well as in finding out the medical care needs of Ukrainians.

Mamonova said that it is very difficult for women in captivity because they are not provided with even basic hygiene products.

"It's very hard for men there, but it's even harder for women. They are deprived of all means of hygiene, there is not enough water, and there is no medical examination. Women suffer from psychological violence. Everyone hoped that representatives of the ICRC would arrive during these six months of captivity, who could have protected the women," she said.

Mamonova, who was expecting a baby, while she was in captivity, said that she hoped for a priority release, but that did not happen.

"I was pregnant and I hoped that the ICRC would exchange me because I am a medic, an officer and a pregnant woman who, according to all conventions, should have been the first to go for exchange," the woman said.

However, according to her, the ICRC participated neither in the exchange nor in the provision of medical care to wounded Ukrainians who were captured by the enemy.

"I'm asking for your help to have representatives there who could prevent violence, brutal treatment of women and men," she said.

In turn, Spoljaric Egger said that she would discuss with the organization's representatives possible ways to improve the conditions of detention of prisoners of war and prevent torture.

She said that according to the norms of international law, the ICRC does not have the authority to forcefully grant it permission to visit places of detention of prisoners.

In response, the head of the President's Office said that Russia violated all international conventions, so reference to the norms of international law in this context is not a sufficient argument.

Yermak said that the Russian aggression demonstrated the crisis state of the global human rights protection system. In such a situation, international institutions, organizations and their employees do not have time to respond to the need for changes.