The Russian Red Cross has participated in the organization of military training camps for children. In the camps, children of primary school age have been taught, for example, close combat skills and the use of weapons such as Kalashnikov assault rifles.
The Russian Red Cross has offered first aid and medical training in the camps.
The Russian Red Cross has also signed a cooperation agreement with an embargoed Russian organization that organizes children’s camps in the Crimean peninsula seized from Ukraine. These camps have been used for the “patriotic education” of Ukrainian children, that is, in practice, the Russianization of children.
The new information about the activities of the Russian Red Cross comes from an international cooperation involving several European media.
Already at the end of February, the same media reported that the leaked documents show that the Russian administration has used the local Red Cross in its propaganda. In accordance with the principles of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, the aid organization should act impartially.
Neither the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies nor the International Committee of the Red Cross wanted to comment on the new information to the international journalist group.
Under the leadership of the organization, connections to the Kremlin
In recent years, extensive militarization has taken place in Russian society, which can also be seen in the everyday life of elementary school-aged children. There are a large number of different “military patriotic” clubs in the country, the purpose of which is to make children loyal to the president Vladimir Putin for the administration and the Russian army.
The Russian Red Cross has repeatedly participated in the activities of such clubs.
The 29-year-old director of the aid organization acts as an important link between the Kremlin and the Russian Red Cross Pavel Savchuk. He has also been active in the Putin-supporting All-Russian People’s Front (ONF), which is on the EU sanctions list. ONF’s trademark is the offensive war symbol Z, and it supplies Russian soldiers in Ukraine.
In January 2024, Savtchuk signed a cooperation agreement with Artek, a children’s camp in Crimea that was conquered by Russia. Artek is subject to Western sanctions, and According to the United States Ukrainian children from territories occupied by Russia have been taken to its camps for “re-education”. Children have also been prevented from returning to their families.
Artek has also cooperated with the Russian youth army, or Junarmija. Junarmija has at least hundreds of thousands and according to some estimates, even more than a million 8-17 year old members. Its operation is supported by the Russian Ministry of Defense.
According to documents leaked from inside the Kremlin, the activities of the youth army are financed from a budget reserved for ideological warfare and kept secret. Junarmija is on the sanctions lists of the European Union and the United States.
Pavel Savtšuk is also a member of the IFRC board of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. He did not respond to questions for this story.
The ambiguities regarding the operation of the Russian Red Cross were revealed in leaked documents. They were taken over by an Estonian news website Delfi.
Several European media published news related to the documents at the end of February.
Delfi, the German Paper Trail Media and Der Spiegel, the Russian iStories and the British The Guardian have been investigating new information.
The leak, called Kremlin Leaks, also contained information about, among other things, the use of money by the Russian state.
The operation of the Russian Red Cross is “under investigation”
‘s MOT editorial office, in cooperation with several European media, asked local Red Crosses for their views on the problems revealed by the Kremlin Leaks.
The key question was whether the IFRC should launch an official investigation into the activities of the Russian Red Cross or whether one has already been launched.
The Finnish Red Cross says that the matter is being investigated.
– The IFRC is now investigating the allegations that have come to its attention and is also investigating the matter from the Russian Red Cross. After the investigation is completed, it is possible to make decisions about how to proceed in the matter. We are closely following the investigation work of the association and are waiting for its results, says the communication of the Finnish Red Cross.
The investigation commission is headed by the ex-secretary general of SPR
Former Secretary General of the Finnish Red Cross Kristina Kumpula is the chairman of the IFRC committee responsible for investigating possible rule violations by regional organizations.
In 2023, Kumpula retired from the position of general secretary of SPR. Kumpula did not give MOT an interview, but sent a short statement by email. It was almost word for word similar to the statement sent by SPR.
A committee led by Kumpula can recommend the suspension of the national organization or other measures. The final decision on the matter is made by the IFRC.
The IFRC has said that it will investigate the matter. However, the organization has not wanted to comment on whether it has launched an official internal investigation.
The financiers demand that the matter be clarified
The governments of several countries are demanding an investigation into the activities of the Russian Red Cross. This has been done, for example, by the United States, Great Britain and Sweden, which are significant financiers of the international activities of the Red Cross.
– We expect the IFRC to act quickly in accordance with its rules and to take the necessary measures, such as [Venäjän Punaisen Ristin toiminnan] suspension or exclusion from the organization, the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a message to Expressen.
A spokesperson for the US State Department and representatives of the British government both said that they were waiting for an investigation to be made in the matter.