Ukrainian MFA comments on IFRC decision regarding RRC
The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is disappointed with the decision of the board of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) regarding the Russian Red Cross (RRC).
As the Ukrainian side has repeatedly emphasized, the presence and activities of the RRC in the part of our state temporarily occupied by Russia is a gross violation of the Constitution, laws of Ukraine and international law.
"The aforementioned actions of the RRC are also a serious violation of the Statutes of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and the IFRC Constitution, in particular the principle of unity, according to which each country can have only one Red Cross or Red Crescent Society, as well as the obligations of national societies to respect territorial integrity and independence," the MFA said in a commentary published on Friday.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry notes that the decision of the IFRC Board is contrary to the provisions of UN General Assembly resolutions 68/262 of March 27, 2014 "Territorial Integrity of Ukraine" and ES-11/4 of October 12, 2022 "Territorial Integrity of Ukraine: Protecting the Principles of the UN Charter" which call on all states, international organizations and specialized agencies of the UN system not to recognize Russia's attempts to annex parts of Ukraine and to refrain from any actions and steps that could be interpreted as recognition of a change in the status of these territories.
"The Ukrainian side has repeatedly provided documentary evidence of the involvement of the aggressor state in supporting and financing the illegal activities of the RCC to create its structural divisions in the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine, as well as facts of the illegal seizure of movable and immovable property of the Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS)," the commentary says.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says the Red Cross Society is the only recognized Red Cross Society that carries out humanitarian activities throughout Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders and is authorized to create local Red Cross offices.
"With its gross violations of international law and the Statutes of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, the Red Cross Society causes serious and long-term reputational damage to the entire Federation. There is nothing more important for the activities of the Red Cross than trust. A blow to trust in the entire Federation is the worst consequence of the illegal actions of the Red Cross Society," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
"The Ukrainian side expects continued monitoring and the provision of objective and impartial assessments by the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement of the ongoing illegal activities of the Red Cross Society in the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine," the ministry said.