Russian official says ‘practical’ issues delay visit to POWs

GENEVA (AP) — A Russian diplomat says the International Committee of the Red Cross has conducted at least five visits to Ukrainian prisoners of war since Russia invaded Ukraine.

Gennady Gatilov, Russia’s ambassador in Geneva, said Thursday it was unreasonable to think Red Cross teams could visit all of the more than 6,000 Ukrainian POWs.

He insisted “practical arrangements” were holding up a trip to a prison where dozens of POWs died in late July.

Some critics say the Geneva-based humanitarian organization hasn’t done enough to obtain access to Russian detention centers.

It said Sunday that it has an 11-person team ready to visit any POWs in separatist-held areas of Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, including those held at the Olenivka prison.