The Red Cross has warned of risks to the evacuation due to the mobilization of volunteers

The Ukrainian Red Cross stated that the incident involving the detention of one of its volunteers during the evacuation of civilians created additional risks to the continuity of its humanitarian operations.

The organization released a further clarification following a significant number of inquiries regarding the incident.

The Red Cross noted that at the time the vehicle was stopped, the rapid response team volunteer was not wanted by authorities. Furthermore, according to the organization, he was not informed at the time of the stop that he was to be taken to the Territorial Recruitment Center and the Military Medical Commission for a medical examination, with possible subsequent mobilization.

At that time, the vehicle was carrying people who had been evacuated from a dangerous area. After the volunteer was detained, other representatives of the Ukrainian Red Cross continued transporting them. Due to the incident, the evacuation was delayed, but it was eventually completed.

The organization emphasized that it understands the legal requirements regarding mobilization and military registration. At the same time, the Red Cross notes that some of its volunteers have already been mobilized, and the issue of exempting volunteers from mobilization currently lacks proper legislative regulation.

According to the organization, the unique aspect of this situation is that, at the time of the stop, the volunteer was directly carrying out a humanitarian mission—evacuating civilians from a dangerous area.

The Red Cross stated that it currently lacks a clear understanding of the conditions under which its volunteers can freely carry out evacuation, rescue, and emergency relief missions while also complying with military registration requirements.

The organization warns that such uncertainty could affect its ability to recruit volunteers for population evacuations, emergency response, and assistance to victims.

The Ukrainian Red Cross has expressed its readiness to engage in dialogue with government agencies to develop a clear mechanism that will allow it to comply with the law while ensuring the continuity of humanitarian aid.

Андрій Колісніченко