Red Cross decides against suspending Russian branch despite links to Kremlin war machine

The International Red Cross movement has decided not to suspend membership of the Russian Red Cross (RRC), despite potential breaches of neutrality regulations brought to light by an investigation by a group of international media outlets, including the Guardian.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), an umbrella body of national societies, has the power to suspend members that violate Red Cross principles of neutrality and independence, and did so to the Belarusian chapter last year.

The investigation, published last month by a group of outlets including the Guardian, was partly based on a series of leaked Kremlin documents, which appeared to show plans to fund offshoot branches of the RRC on occupied Ukrainian territory.

It also found that senior figures in RRC regional branches spoke of the need for war with “Ukrainian Nazis”, and that uniformed Red Cross workers were frequently present at military training events for children. Earlier this year, the Russian Red Cross signed a memorandum of cooperation with Artek, a youth camp in annexed Crimea where some children deported from Ukraine have been sent. The head of Artek, Konstantin Fedorenko, has been hit with sanctions by the US and the EU.