The Red Cross should act more powerful in access to prisoners in Russia and in the occupied territories - President of Ukraine at a meeting of the autumn PACE session
The red cross should fight because it is their work because they get money for it because they look at the whole world. They should press on Russia to get there (to the places of keeping the prisoners. - Ed. ), ” - said the Head of State.
The President noted that the conditions of maintenance of civilian and military prisoners in the territories controlled by Russia - a priority humanitarian issue, and this became apparent to the world after a terrorist attack in Olenivka, when more than 50 prisoners were blown up. “And here the main question is the access of the Red Cross.
I would like to contact you and on your respectful playground to contact the Red Cross representatives and leadership: they should have access to prisoners, ”the Head of State said. However, as stated by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the ICCH does not demonstrate the effectiveness of access to Ukrainian prisoners from the very beginning of Russian aggression against Ukraine in 2014. “It has been ongoing since the occupation of our Crimea and Donbass - there was no access to our captives.
The red cross cannot get there. It happens eight years. And now, when thousands of our captives after a full -scale invasion are on the temporarily occupied parts of the Donbass, where they are tortured - we know it - and what they do not do with them, there is no access to the Red Cross, ”he said. The President has believed that the ICCH should be more active in pressing Russian authorities, including in the public space, in order to access all the prisoners.
“I do not see their constant speeches in the media, pressure on Russia, speeches at the UN General Assembly. I do not see this media, information, any pressure, ”Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. According to him, Ukraine, for its part, through various mechanisms, organizations and partner countries, does everything possible to liberate the prisoners, exchange the military.
He noted the assistance of the UN and Secretary -General of Anthony Guterrish, Turkey, who helped the release of Azovstal defenders and partners from Saudi Arabia, who contributed to the liberation of captives of the United States, Great Britain, Sweden, Croatia. “I think we all have to turn on. I think the Red Cross should act more powerful, ”the President said. In the context of humanitarian support of Ukraine, the head of state also thanked partner countries for medical care.
In particular, he expressed gratitude to France, which from the very beginning of a full -scale war contributed to the evacuation of cancer patients. Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Ukraine's medical infrastructure showed himself well in the fight against Kosadza, but to cope with huge challenges that appeared in connection with a full -scale invasion of Russia, it is very difficult for her. Therefore, our state needs further assistance in particular in the medical field.