The International Federation of the Red Cross is starting to investigate the claims made public, the Finnish Red Cross tells .
President Vladimir Putin the administration has included the Russian Red Cross as part of its state propaganda machinery, even though the purpose of the aid organization is to act independently and impartially in crisis areas.
The matter is clear from Kremlin documents, which were leaked to an Estonian news website For Delphi and published in several European media such as in Expressen and On Vsquare.
The Russian Red Cross has received 6.7 million euros in funding from the state this year. With that money, four regional and 62 local organizations are planned to be established in the Russian-occupied areas of eastern Ukraine.
Russia’s plans would violate the principles of the International Red Cross (ICRC). National organizations of the movement may operate in another country only with the permission of that country. Ukraine has not given the Russian Red Cross permission to operate in its territories occupied by Russia.
In addition, only the international ICRC is allowed to operate in conflict areas. According to the leaked documents, Russia’s intention is to supplant the ICRC’s aid work in Donbas with its own Red Cross.
According to the European media, the Russian Red Cross would work there as a propaganda tool and a supporter of the war of aggression. Several of its leading figures have spoken openly in favor of war.
The 29-year-old director of the aid organization acts as a 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. The organization’s trademark is the aggressive war symbol Z and it supplies Russian soldiers in Ukraine.
Savtšuk has also worked in the international missions of the Red Cross. According to the leaked documents, the Russian Red Cross has tried to gain international influence through him. Contrary to what the ICRC thought, it seems that Savchuk is still active in the ONF as well.
The information that came to light for the International Red Cross is embarrassing, and the organization only commented on it sparingly to the European media. also asked for a comment from the Finnish Red Cross, which emphasized that national organizations must follow the movement’s principles.
– The International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) is now starting to investigate the allegations that have come to our attention. The IFRC has policies that can be used to clarify suspicions related to violations of the principles and impose sanctions for established violations, SPR informs .