Ex-prisoner Butkevych: pretending that ICRC functioning properly hypocritical
This was stated by human rights activist and former prisoner of war Maksym Butkevych in a comment to a Ukrinform correspondent in Vienna, following his speech at the Institute for Human Sciences (IWM).
"What is happening now with the Red Cross’s access to Ukrainian prisoners of war in Russia is not just a problem — it is a tragedy. The ICRC is the only non-governmental organization whose monitoring and access mandate is enshrined in the core documents of international humanitarian law. If it fails to fulfill its mission, this means it either lacks sufficient authority or the will to act," Butkevych noted.
The former Kremlin prisoner emphasized that "in either case, action is needed" — the ICRC must either be strengthened or made more independent and less susceptible to pressure, particularly from Russia.
"But pretending that nothing needs to change and that everything is functioning properly under the current circumstances is hypocritical," he added. During his two-year captivity, Butkevych said ICRC representatives never visited him.
The activist also stressed that the release of all Ukrainian civilian hostages and prisoners of war must be a precondition for any potential peace talks regarding Russia’s war against Ukraine.
"When it comes to pressuring Russia on the release of our prisoners — both military and civilian — I share the view of Ukrainian and international human rights organizations: the release of civilians and a large-scale exchange of military personnel must be a precondition for negotiations, not their outcome. First, people must be freed, and only then should talks take place," Butkevych stressed.
He believes that the international community has instruments to pressure Russia on this issue, albeit limited.
"The international community can exert pressure on Russia, although the tools are limited. However, we do see that some instruments exist — from direct diplomatic contacts to the expansion of sanctions. It is not easy. There is no ‘silver bullet’ or single measure that will guarantee the release of prisoners. We must use everything at our disposal," he concluded.
As Ukrinform previously reported, Ukrainian human rights activist, journalist, and former prisoner of war Maksym Butkevych recently shared his harrowing experiences of two years in Russian captivity during an event at the OSCE Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting in Vienna.
