Why does Zelenskyy criticize the Red Cross?

The Guardian's diplomatic editor Patrick Wintour writes in his article that it is not the first time Zelenskyy has criticized the Red Cross.

Before visiting the flood-affected areas on Thursday, the Ukrainian president said it is necessary for international organizations, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross, to immediately join the rescue operation and help people in the occupied part of Kherson region. Also, he told the German newspaper Der Bild that the UN and the ICRC “are not there”.

Not only Zelenskyy but also those around him believe that the organization is using neutrality, international law, and confidentiality to hide its moral weakness.

“One organisation uses its history and its name to get in the way of doing something impactful,” says Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian ombudsman for human rights. Last month, he claimed that he often finds that the Red Cross does not want to fulfill its functions. But the worst part is that it has a monopoly.

The ombudsman added that Ukraine wants a second organization with joint responsibility for access to political prisoners to be created, arguing that competition could encourage the ICRC to become more active.

Earlier, Ukraine's rage was sparked by the ICRC's inability to access Russian-occupied Olenivka, where dozens of Ukrainian prisoners of war died in an explosion and fire in July.

The Guardian quotes Zelenskyy's October address: “I believe the International Committee of the Red Cross is not a club with privileges where one receives a salary and enjoys life. The Red Cross has obligations, primarily of a moral nature. The mandate of the Red Cross must be fulfilled.”

In November, at the G20 summit, Zelenskyy again criticized the organization over children and adult civilians forcibly deported to Russia.

He questioned whether the International Committee of the Red Cross could any longer claim the legal and moral right to be the upholder of international humanitarian law: “And such self-elimination is the self-destruction of the Red Cross as an organisation that was once respected.”

Zelenskyy even praised the more assertive style of Rafael Grossi, the IAEA chief, who visited both Russia and Ukraine to maintain security at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

The head of the ICRC Mirjana Spoljaric Egger says the mandate of the ICRC means that it is not an advocacy group or a body capable of mounting inquiries. She believes that accumulated trust, neutrality and confidentiality are critical components of success for the ICRC.

“The closer you come to the front line, the more people know how important neutrality is because it protects you. We have very little means of assuring safety and security for our staff other than our strict 160-year-old neutrality and impartiality,” Egger says.

The ICRC is also facing budget cuts, announcing that it would have to cut 1,800 jobs to save $440m from its $3.2bn budget.

As for the flooded south of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Red Cross also emphasized that it is actively working on the ground. It reports that it has managed to organize water deliveries, water purification tablets, and jerry cans to affected communities.

The UN Humanitarian Coordinator, Martin Griffiths, insists that his teams are already actively working on the ground and he is working to gain access to the Russian-controlled areas.

• After Russians blow up the Kakhovka dam, President Zelenskyy criticized the UN and the Red Cross for their inaction in dealing with the aftermath of the flooding.