The ICRC “expressed concern” over strikes on Ukrainian and Russian cities: Sybiha called this statement “shameful”

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has condemned strikes on critical infrastructure in Ukraine and Russia, which have left millions of people without electricity, water, and heating. Ukraine responded sharply to the statement, condemning such a comparison between the two countries.

Photo credit: International Committee of the Red Cross

On January 14, the ICRC released a post condemning strikes on “critical infrastructure in Ukraine and Russia.” The organization noted that these attacks have left millions of people without electricity, water, and heating. Among the affected cities, the ICRC mentioned Belgorod, a Russian city.

The statement emphasized that attacks that cause disproportionate harm to civilians and deprive them of access to basic services are prohibited under international humanitarian law (IHL).

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha reacted to the publication, calling it “shameful.” He stressed that Ukraine is acting in accordance with international humanitarian law and is defending itself against Russian attacks.

According to Sybiha, the ICRC’s statement was perceived in Ukraine as a false moral equivalence between the aggressor and the defending country, which undermines trust in the organization.

“I also invite the people who wrote and approved this statement to leave their warm offices, come to Ukraine, and spend a day in a cold house. Perhaps a sense of reality will return to them,” he added.

The head of the ICRC delegation will be summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to provide an explanation.

To provide background, emergency power outages are currently in effect in Kyiv, other cities, and settlements throughout the country due to Russian strikes on the energy sector. Hundreds of homes have been without heat for several days, and in some places, without water. Consequently, dozens of “Points of Invincibility” have been deployed on the streets to provide heating and hot food.

A total of 629 repair teams are working to restore the damage; however, the destruction is severe, and the Russian Federation continues its shelling. Therefore, according to DTEK, predicting the future situation is difficult.

On Thursday, January 15, the Russian army also destroyed a large critical energy infrastructure facility in Kharkiv, the city mayor reported.

According to him, the headquarters for addressing the consequences of emergency situations operates 24/7; emergency services and specialized experts are involved on-site.

The authorities are trying to minimize the consequences of the strikes and maintain control over the situation in the city.

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