Red Cross still does not have access to detainees in occupied areas in eastern Ukraine

"The process is often no less important than the outcome. Although I understand that the relatives of those who expect this access from us are unlikely to regard this as a serious, compelling argument, but the dialogue is ongoing indeed. It is very important for us that the dialogue, which we are conducting with the structures in the uncontrolled territories, does not stop for a single day. And I hope that we will get this access," Media Relations Officer of the ICRC Delegation in Ukraine Oleksandr Vlasenko said on the air of Dom TV channel.

In addition to negotiating physical access, the organization deals with handing over letters and parcels to detainees.

"Apart from access, there are other things that we continue to do. It is the transfer of parcels, letters. We have our own special letter structure that can be filled out and handed over to people detained in connection with the conflict in Donbas," the Media Relations Officer of the ICRC Delegation in Ukraine explained.

Vlasenko also expressed hope that negotiations at the international level would bring results and humanitarian organizations would be able to monitor places of detention in certain districts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

As Ukrinform reported with reference to the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Liudmyla Denisova, 413 Ukrainians stay illegally detained in Russia and in the temporarily occupied territories of the Crimean peninsula and parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

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