Red Cross says no POW visits in Russia since 2024

The International Committee of the Red Cross said Wednesday it has been denied access to visit prisoners of war held in Russian detention since 2024.

The ICRC said it had visited more than 9,800 prisoners of war on both sides of the Russia-Ukraine conflict from the start of the full-scale invasion through last month, but said those visits were “mainly in Ukraine.”

An ICRC spokeswoman told AFP the organisation currently “does not have full access to all PoWs.” She said the ICRC visits prisoners of war and detained civilians in Ukraine, but that “in Russia our last visit was in 2024.”

The ICRC said it was seeking to regain access to detention facilities in line with its mandate. It said visits are needed to check detention conditions, provide support and relay information between detainees and their families.

The organisation said families have a right to know whether loved ones are alive, wounded or dead, adding that many have waited for months for answers.