Russia–Ukraine international armed conflict: Your questions answered about the ICRC’s work

We have worked in Ukraine since 2014 and we have massively scaled up our presence and activities since 24 February 2022 to better support people affected by the international armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine, who are in desperate need of humanitarian assistance including food, safe water, medicine, and shelter materials.

• We have over 750 staff including medical staff, weapons contamination specialists, and other emergency team members currently working in Ukraine. The majority are Ukrainian colleagues who often suffer the consequences of the conflict themselves.
• We currently have teams based in locations across areas controlled by Ukrainian and Russian authorities: Kyiv, Odesa, Kharkiv, Lviv, Dnipro, Donetsk, Luhansk and Moscow. From these locations, our team of over 1,000 are working with communities affected by the conflict in dozens of cities locations including along the frontlines.
• We coordinate with our partners from the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement in Russia, Ukraine, Hungary, Moldova, Poland and Romania   to support those people affected by the conflict, whoever and wherever they are. 
• We operationalized a dedicated Bureau of the Central Tracing Agency to collect, centralize, and transmit information about the fate and whereabouts of people, both military and civilians deprived of their liberty, who have fallen in the hands of the enemy.
• In addition to stepping up our operational response on the ground, we continue our confidential dialogue with the parties on the conduct of hostilities as well as on the protection of the civilian population and protected persons, reminding them of their obligations under international humanitarian law. In these conversations, we raise pressing humanitarian concerns, including access to Prisoners of War (POWs), the safe passage of civilians and the delivery of humanitarian assistance. Our aim is to alleviate suffering of people living through armed conflict.

The latest information on our work in Ukraine in 2025. 
 

Globally, the ICRC seeks to access conflict-affected people wherever they are, in line with our mandate. To this end, we work and coordinate with local operating partners in Donetsk and Luhansk in support of people deeply impacted by years of hostilities. The ICRC is not present in the Russian controlled areas of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.

The latest information on our work in Donetsk and Luhansk.  

Since February 2022, and as of April 2026, the ICRC has visited more than 8,900 POWs on both sides of the international armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine, though mainly in Ukraine. When we visit a place of internment, we assess the conditions of internment and the treatment of PoWs. We also share much-awaited news from their families and, whenever possible, provide items such as blankets, warm clothes, personal hygiene items, and books.

To date, the ICRC does not have full access to all POWs. We know many other PoWs and civilian internees are still waiting to receive similar visits and we continue our efforts to access all of them, guided by our humanitarian commitment and our mandate under the Geneva Conventions. We also know that each day is full of uncertainty for prisoners of war and their families who are looking for reassurance. Under the Third and Fourth Geneva Conventions, the ICRC must be allowed to see all prisoners of war and civilian internees, have access to all places where they're held and be allowed to repeat visits as often as needed. All states are legally obligated to make this happen as they have all signed the Geneva Conventions. We cannot enforce the rules applicable in this or in any armed conflict.

We understand the frustrations of those families who wait in anguish with no news at all. Families have the right to know about the fate of their loved ones, whether they are alive, wounded or dead. Many have waited anxiously for many long months, and they need answers today. They are impatient, as are we.

The ICRC collects information   about those whose fate is unknown and transmits it back to their country of origin, to help ensure families know about the fate of their loved ones. Since February 2022, and as of April 2026, we have provided 17,000 families with news of their loved ones. This work gives families hope and is an absolute humanitarian imperative.

We have keenly felt the press of time as the calendar has turned and we have not been able to visit all POWs. Their humanity and dignity cannot be set aside. They require comfort, care, assistance, and protection - just as civilians do. That's why we have been continuously working with parties to the conflict to gain unrestricted access to all places where POWs are held.

No. Any abuse of prisoners of war POWs in captivity is expressly prohibited by the Third Geneva Convention and is fundamentally incompatible with the mission of the ICRC. There is no evidence   that ICRC delegates have participated in, condoned, or facilitated such mistreatment.

ICRC staff are bound by strict neutrality and impartiality rules of procedure requiring that delegates be completely independent of the parties to the conflict. Delegates are selected precisely because they have no national affiliation with any belligerent state. Their role is limited to observation and private interviews with people held in detention facilities, as well as detaining authorities. If any violation of the Conventions were witnessed, the ICRC would raise the issue directly with the detaining power and, where appropriate, inform the relevant protecting powers. This process is designed to protect detainees, not to conceal wrongdoing.

Gaining unrestricted access to all POWs and civilian internees remains a central priority for the ICRC. We continuously advocate with all parties to expand visitation rights, improve conditions, and ensure that the protections afforded by international humanitarian law are respected by all sides of a conflict.

We know that people are deeply worried about the safety and wellbeing of their loved ones. Children affected by armed conflicts around the world suffer from being separated from their loved ones, which can have devastating consequences on their wellbeing and ability to resume a normal life.

Family members of children who are missing can open tracing cases with the ICRC to initiate a search. As in any armed conflict, the ICRC discusses the issue of unaccompanied and separated children with Russian and Ukrainian authorities in order to ensure that families and children can be registered and the appropriate follow-up for their missing family members carried out.

Once family contact has been restored, and both the family member and the child consent, the ICRC and National Red Cross Societies will facilitate family reunifications wherever possible.

The ICRC's preferred means of working is through confidential dialogue. A confidential approach allows us to talk candidly with the people, groups, and parties to an armed conflict or those involved in other situations of violence. It allows us to build trust, gain access and ensure the security of both of our staff and the people we are trying to help.
By adopting this approach, we also avoid the risk of politicizing issues through public debate and protect the security of our staff in the field and of the communities we serve.

This approach has allowed us to facilitate the release of prisoners of war in Yemen, facilitate the release of kidnapped girls in Nigeria, organise the evacuation of civilians from Aleppo, Syria or Mariupol, Ukraine to name only a few recent examples. This approach saves lives, and this is our priority.  

We understand the frustration and pain that lead people to call for stronger public statements. We do not refrain from speaking publicly but our approach is to speak directly to parties to the conflict about any concerns. This approach is guided by our responsibility to work in a way that puts those most impacted by armed conflict at the heart of our actions. In our experience, that patient, confidential dialogue is often the most effective way to remain present, to be heard and to secure concrete humanitarian outcomes, including information for families who are desperately seeking answers.

Public denunciation remains an exception we use only when we have exhausted every other reasonable means of influencing parties on respect for international humanitarian law and when these means have not produced the desired result. Most importantly, this is only done when we believe it is in the best interests of those we are trying to assist and protect. 

We often speak about the impact of armed conflict on civilians, wherever we work – this is part of our role.

The scale, severity, and duration of suffering experienced by people in Ukraine are profound and unparalleled in this context. Every civilian who is affected directly by power cuts, lack of heating, or little access to water faces different struggles and challenges.

Acknowledging that civilian suffering matters wherever it occurs must not be read as an attempt to equate suffering. Instead, it follows the humanitarian principle that civilian suffering matters wherever it occurs. Regardless of why or how a conflict escalated, there are civilians who do not have any role in hostilities, but who pay the price.  

Our mission is to protect and assist victims of armed conflict. Our working methods must allow us to do that, to work in very dangerous and violent contexts of armed conflict on the battlefield on both sides of the frontline. This only works if all parties understand the benefits of our presence.

Neutrality isn't a principle as much as it is an operational necessity. We do not take neutrality as a moral position. Instead, it allows for relationships with stakeholders to address complex issues that have direct effects on the lives of people affected by conflict.
This might mean working with parties to facilitate safe passage for civilians, which requires the cooperation of both sides, or supporting the exchange of remains of fallen combatants. It also allows us to be a conduit of information to share news of missing loved ones with anxious families. If we only speak to one side of a conflict, we are not able to raise critical issues such as the treatment of prisoners of war, or the conduct of hostilities.

In order to effect change, it is not enough to engage with people who are affected by armed conflict. It is imperative that we are also in continuous dialogue with parties to conflicts to advocate for respect for international humanitarian law.

The ICRC's position with regard to public statements and appeals is sometimes criticized. When it comes to public statements, the ICRC continues to be regarded as discreet or at least reserved, as it undoubtedly is in comparison with other organizations. However, comparisons can be misleading, given the different mandates, tasks and activities of different organizations.

By signing the Geneva Conventions, states have committed themselves to respecting IHL. This includes investigating war crimes allegedly committed by their armed forces or on their territory. They also pledged to prosecute suspects if necessary.
Following long-established practice, the ICRC does not take part in legal proceedings.

We also do not disclose what our employees see while they are working. This is true not only for Ukraine, but for all the places where we operate.

Problems on one side are discussed with this side, and not with the opposite. Such communication is confidential, which allows us to be direct and frank – and to build the trust that is essential to our work.

Our information is not and will not be shared with anyone else, including the International Criminal Court (ICC). The ICC rules of procedure recognize this. They establish the ICRC's privilege of confidentiality and exempt its staff from participating as witnesses in its proceedings.

However, this does not mean that we are complicit. We talk about existing problems directly with the parties to the conflict, and not in the public space.

We saw an enormous outpouring of support to help those suffering as a result of the international armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine. In 2022, we have increased our capacity to help people affected by the armed conflict and spent around 416 million CHF to respond to their needs across Ukraine and in neighbouring countries.

The majority of our expenses – nearly 92% - concern Ukraine. The remaining expenses concern our regional response in neighbouring countries as well as our dedicated Central Tracing Agency Bureau for the international armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which helps families reconnect with their missing loved ones, and provides information on the whereabouts of those fallen into enemy hands, dead or alive, including third-country nationals.

This support allowed the ICRC to scale up to respond to the immense needs across the areas directly affected by the hostilities. 

Since February 2022, we have continuously assessed and revised our operational plans and budget for Ukraine and surrounding countries. This approach ensures that our plans and planned expenditure are realistic reflections of what we will achieve and spend in response to the humanitarian needs in this crisis.

The ICRC is extremely grateful for the outpouring of support in response to the international armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Contributions from Red Cross and Red Crescent partners, individuals, the private sector, and governments, have made a real difference in the lives of millions of people impacted by the conflict. 

Since the escalation of the armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine in 2022, the ICRC has focused on assisting the most vulnerable, whoever they are and wherever they are. We conduct regular assessments of humanitarian needs that may vary depending on the evolving humanitarian context. In such a case, we adjust our budget to fit the needs, including the financial support we provide our partners. 

We conduct humanitarian activities in Russia jointly with the Russian Red Cross (RRC), and we financially support humanitarian activities conducted by the RRC to address the humanitarian needs of the people in Russia who are most affected by the armed conflict.
During the summer of 2024, in response to urgent humanitarian needs in the Kursk and surrounding regions, the RRC carried out humanitarian activities, to which the ICRC contributed funding. Intensified hostilities in the region displaced over 100,000 people, prompting the ICRC to scale up its operations, including support to RRC to assist the most vulnerable displaced people and to help families with missing relatives.

ICRC support to RRC in 2024 amounted to (around 5.6 million CHF). This amount covered activities conducted in partnership with RRC, mainly economic assistance provided to socially vulnerable displaced people in five regions in Russia. Assistance varied according to the needs and included cash, pharmacy vouchers, pre-paid bank cards and school kits for children among others. It also included enhanced emergency response capacities of RRC, including by replenishing their emergency stocks and RRC helped families separated from their loved ones including missing relatives. 

The ICRC’s budget for 2024 was approximately 196 million francs, with over 167 million francs allocated to its work in Ukraine. Of the total budget, 3% was directed to the Russian Red Cross to address the humanitarian consequences of the armed conflict in Russia.     

The latest information on our work in the Russian Federation and Belarus.
 

The ICRC's role in the evacuation from Mariupol, in May 2022, was to facilitate the implementation of the agreement reached between Ukraine and Russia in our capacity as a neutral intermediary. Details related to the evacuation were agreed upon by both parties, including the logistics.

Based on the role conferred to us by parties to the conflict, our responsibility consisted in accompanying the convoy and being present through the whole operation.

We facilitated the evacuation of more than 470 civilians. During such evacuations, it is up to the parties to the conflict to decide whether or not to undergo a screening procedure. If they do, it must be conducted in a humane and dignified manner.

The ICRC does not have the power nor the mandate to decide on, nor to prevent, the screening of leaving civilians if it is decided by parties to the conflict. The ICRC couldn't and has never guaranteed that all people evacuating would successfully pass the screening procedure. Similarly, we could not and did not guarantee as such the safety of the POWs once in the hands of a party to the conflict, because it is simply not within our power to do so.

Our visible presence during the evacuation was to facilitate the process between those evacuating and the authorities concerned and remind them of the humanitarian nature of the operation. The ICRC teams stayed with the convoy the whole way and stayed with the persons evacuating throughout the process, including during the nights in tents.

Here or anywhere else around the world, the ICRC does not have the power nor the mandate to prevent the detention of civilians or combatants nor ask for their release. What we can do, at our level, is to continue to advocate for protected persons to be treated humanely and with dignity, and we have done this continuously

According to the Geneva Conventions, states party to an international armed conflict have the obligation to treat POWs humanely, including with respect for their persons and their honour, and they should be protected against acts of violence, intimidation, insults, public curiosity and physical or mental torture.

We work on the basis of the Third Geneva Convention, which states that the ICRC's access to POWs must be granted, but we cannot force states to comply with their obligations nor guarantee that they will.

We have not received any credible indication that the wrongdoings reported in the allegation published in September 2023 have been done by any member of the Movement, including the ICRC or the Russian Red Cross (RRC). It is important to reiterate that any abuse of prisoners of war in captivity is not only prohibited under the Third Geneva Convention, but also profoundly unacceptable. The ICRC would never tolerate such practices. The mandate to visit POWs is very specific to the ICRC.

We know that people often look for explicit support for their side in a conflict - and lack of explicit support is easy to mistake for support of the opposing side. Neutrality means that we prioritize people affected by conflict and other situations of violence, regardless of their affiliations and geographic location. In order to reach them, we must be able to speak freely with those who are parties to a conflict.

As states have an obligation through international humanitarian law to facilitate the work of the ICRC, we regularly speak to both parties to the conflict in the international armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Our stakeholders range from political leaders to frontline commanders. Through that dialogue we advocate for States to fulfil their obligations to respect international humanitarian law and alleviate the suffering of the people affected by conflict. This requires consistent engagement, neutrality, and impartiality.

Only through the process of dialogue can we build the level of trust that will allow us to bring assistance to some of the most vulnerable people, combatants held and civilians in frontline areas notably.

Accountability is also key for the ICRC, first towards the community we serve, but also to our partners and donors. Every year, we release our annual report in June where people can find all information on our funding. 

Find the annual report for 2024 here. 

The ICRC does not ever help organize or carry out forced evacuations. This applies everywhere we work. We would not support any operation that would go against people's will and our principles.

We are aware of the allegations that have been published in the media of involuntary large-scale movements of people and continue to follow the issue closely.

Our work is not based solely on publicly available material and involves fact-checking by ourselves. Whenever we have credible allegations to present on IHL violations, we do so to all parties in a confidential and bilateral dialogue. Our aim is to improve the respect of IHL through this dialogue. Apart from this, one of our core areas of work remains to reconnect family members who have been separated due to this international armed conflict.