Moscow: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov informed Mirjana Spoljaric, the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), about alleged Ukrainian violations of humanitarian rights during the ongoing conflict, according to a statement from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
During their meeting on Tuesday, Lavrov presented what he described as numerous instances of Ukraine’s breaches of international humanitarian norms, particularly concerning the treatment of prisoners of war and civilians. The ministry’s statement emphasized the focus on these alleged violations throughout the two-and-a-half-year conflict.
In response, the ICRC issued a statement at the conclusion of Spoljaric’s two-day visit, underscoring the necessity for all states to adhere to international humanitarian law, including the treatment of prisoners of war. Spoljaric also stressed the importance of protecting humanitarian workers, following the recent death of three ICRC staff members due to shelling at a distribution site on the eastern front.
The Russian statement noted that discussions also covered “key issues of humanitarian action” in regions including the Middle East, the Horn of Africa, Sahel countries, and Europe and Asia. Both parties agreed to enhance cooperation in these areas.
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On Monday, Russia’s Commissioner for Children’s Rights, Maria Lvova-Belova, revealed she had met with Spoljaric to discuss the reunification of Russian families with children located in Europe. Lvova-Belova, along with Russian President Vladimir Putin, faces arrest warrants from the International Criminal Court related to the deportation of Ukrainian children during the conflict. Russia has dismissed these warrants as politically motivated and without merit.
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Both Russia and Ukraine frequently accuse each other of failing to uphold international humanitarian standards. Ukraine recently requested the United Nations and the ICRC to assist with humanitarian efforts in the Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces remain following a recent incursion.
