At least some regional branches of Russian Red Cross organization collects items for the Russian Army, including military staples and drones to correct artillery. Read full investigation here.
Back in October Russian Red Cross started a fundraiser to support families of Russian servicemen and mobilized soldiers with humanitarian and psychological help. This fund raising was held as part of Russia’s MyVmeste campaign, translated as “We are together” and initiated by Vladimir Putin.
The campaign supports Russian soldiers by delivering food, military gear, and children’s letters, creating hand-made “trench candles” and portable heaters so the invaders can better withstand the winter cold in Ukraine, printing chocolate wrappers for soldiers with illustrations by Russian kids wishing them victory.
Although Russia’s Red Cross claims it does not collect military gear or dual-use equipment, at least one of its centers openly does exactly that. The Kamchatka regional department of the Russian Red Cross announces that as part of the MyVmeste campaign it is collecting such frontline staples as thermal underwear, socks, individual first aid kits, sleeping bags, and other additional elements of gear and equipment.
Anton Bogdanovych, an activist of the Australian organization Ukrainians in Sydney, dialed up the Kamchatka office and asked what exact aid for servicemen they accept. The answer was: warm clothes, instant food products, diapers, first aid kits, hygiene products, sleeping bags, “balaklavas and stuff like that.”
Listen to Bogdanovych call here:
Mr. Bogdanovych asks if he can bring military uniforms and drones to the Red Cross office. The worker says: yes, please bring it to their office at Leningradskaya 72, which is “considered as sort of a unified donation center” from various agencies.
So Red Cross Russia helps fund Russia’s war. For example, a lack of military uniforms prevents Russians from deploying more mobilized soldiers on the front line, the lack of drones prevents them from correcting artillery fire and destroying more critical infrastructure in Ukraine.
“The fact that Red Cross helps with committing these war crimes is beyond appalling.” – says Mr. Bogdanovych.
The main problem is that many people trust the reputation of the Red Cross without thinking, many donate for years, and many don’t question where the money that they donate will go.
“International funding goes to Red Cross Russia too. By committing such acts Red Cross legitimizes what Russia is doing in this war and makes helping the Russian army appear noble. We don’t want the Red Cross brand to be used for legitimizing war crimes and the genocide of the Ukrainian people,” Mr. Bogdanovych explains.