MOSCOW, January 20. /TASS/. Russia expects the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to more actively visit Russians in Ukrainian captivity and to closely monitor the observance of their rights, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Friday following a meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric.
"Lavrov drew Spoljaric’s attention to episodes of torture and other crimes committed by the Ukrainian side against captured Russian servicemen. We expect the ICRC to more actively visit detained Russians and to closely monitor that their rights be respected," the ministry said.
At their meeting, the Russian foreign minister once again drew the ICRC's attention to regular flagrant violations of international humanitarian law by Ukraine: shelling of civilian facilities and residential neighborhoods, use of prohibited weapons, use of civilians as human shields, etc. "A vivid example of this is the episode in which a Ukrainian missile hit an ICRC office in Donetsk, which became possible as a result of connivance of Kiev's Western patrons. We call on the Committee to work persistently and responsibly with the Ukrainian side," the Foreign Ministry stressed.
In addition, the interlocutors discussed the prospects and best possible conditions of ICRC work in Donbass. "The main focus of the conversation was on the humanitarian aspects of the Ukrainian crisis. The Russian side expects the Committee to base its activities in this context on the principle of impartiality and its unique mandate," the ministry went on to say.
Lavrov and Spoljaric also discussed the humanitarian situation and cooperation with the ICRC in Afghanistan, Nagorno-Karabakh, Syria, Yemen and Myanmar.