The Director-General of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC DG), Pierre Krähenbühl, has concluded a five-day visit to Ukraine. During the visit he witnessed firsthand the severe suffering inflicted on civilians by the ongoing international armed conflict, particularly as the country endures a harsh winter.
ICRC DG’s meetings in Ukraine focus on missing persons and humanitarian needs
In a statement issued by the ICRC, Mr. Krähenbühl described harrowing scenes of civilian distress. He emphasized the immense human toll of the war that has now persisted for nearly four years.
He noted that the international armed conflict has affected millions of Ukrainians in dramatic ways over the last four years.
“Almost every family has endured the death of a loved one, injury, displacement or the extreme anxiety of having no news about a captured or missing relative,” Mr. Krähenbühl stated.
He further explained that there is nothing abstract about the pain and trauma they witness during a visit like this.
In Kyiv, the ICRC DG held high-level meetings with officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Office of the President, and the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights. Discussions focused on escalating humanitarian needs, the critical issue of prisoners of war (POWs), and tracing those missing in action.
Following talks with authorities and families desperately seeking answers, Mr. Krähenbühl reaffirmed the ICRC’s commitment to securing access to all POWs.
ICRC chief visits heating points, hospitals as winter bites
A key stop on the visit was a heating point supported by the Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS). There, alongside URCS leadership, he met civilians displaced by recent extensive strikes on critical infrastructure.
“I was deeply moved by the many conversations I had with Ukrainians living with the realities of a devastating conflict,” Mr. Krähenbühl said.
He toured ICRC-supported medical facilities, including the Physical Rehabilitation Centre at Kyiv Regional Clinical Hospital and the Kyiv City Medical Centre Burns Unit. He engaged with staff and patients who shared the tragic physical and psychological scars of the war.
Additionally, he visited a forensic facility dedicated to identifying human remains. He ensured that they would continue to work hard to deliver the assistance that is most needed.
In Lviv, the Director-General visited a facility holding Russian POWs, to which the ICRC maintains regular access.
Wrapping up his tour, Mr. Krähenbühl stressed the imperative to protect civilians and limit damage to essential critical infrastructure. This includes guaranteeing the ICRC full and unhindered access to all prisoners of war, as mandated by the Geneva Conventions.
The ICRC has maintained a presence in Ukraine since 2014. Currently, over 750 ICRC staff operate across the country, making it one of the organization’s largest humanitarian operations globally.
In a recent development, the President of the ICRC has issued a warning over the escalating use of drones in modern warfare. She declared that the technology is being deployed deliberately against civilian populations rather than military targets.
Meanwhile, in Syria, the ICRC has raised concerns over the worsening humanitarian crisis in northeast Syria amid renewed hostilities.