'Disgraceful statement' — Ukraine condemns International Red Cross over 'moral equivalence' on energy strikes
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha condemned the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Jan. 15 for equaling Russia's and Ukraine's strikes on energy infrastructure.
ICRC said on a post on X that recent strikes on critical infrastructure in Ukraine and Russia "left millions of people with little or no electricity, water, and heating amid freezing temperatures in Kyiv, Dnipro, Donetsk, Belgorod, and other areas."
In response, Sybiha wrote on X that "this statement is a disgrace," adding that "false moral equivalence between an aggressor and a country defending itself is unacceptable." He said that Ukraine acts within international humanitarian law and its right to self-defense.
"No surprise the ICRC's reputation is in crisis as a result of statements like this, which whitewash Russian crimes and further undermine trust in the organization," Sybiha said adding that ICRC has been unable to secure systematic access to Ukrainian POWs and civilians illegally detained by Russia for a long time.
According to Sybiha, the head of the ICRC delegation to Ukraine will be summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukrain
"I also invite the people who wrote and authorized this statement to leave their warm offices, come to Ukraine, and spend a day in a freezing home. Perhaps they will regain their sense of reality," he added.
The Kyiv Independent has reached out to the ICRC for comment and will update if we receive a reply.
Russia has pounded Kyiv and other parts of the country with missiles and drones over the last few days, leaving around 70% of the capital without power on Jan. 13. While energy workers repair the damage, the icy temperatures are making it difficult, and replacement equipment is running out.
President Volodymyr Zelensky on Jan. 14 declared a state of emergency in the energy sector, with particular attention to Kyiv, which is reeling from Russian attacks that have left residents without power, heating, or water in subzero temperatures.
Ukraine's Security Service said on Jan. 15 that Russia's ongoing strikes against energy infrastructure amount to "crimes against humanity."
On Dec. 14, Russian Belgorod Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said a missile attack caused "serious damage" to local engineering infrastructure. He claimed that Ukrainian attacks on Nov. 8 cut power to more than 20,000 people, and on Oct. 5, he said an attack damaged energy facilities in the city and left nearly 40,000 residents without electricity.
Gladkov urged residents on Jan. 13 to be prepared to temporarily relocate as power and heating outages hit the border region near Ukraine, saying officials were drawing up contingency plans in case the situation worsens.
The alleged attack followed a series of alleged Ukrainian attacks on Belgorod's energy infrastructure in recent months.
