The Geneva-based IFRC asked its branch in Belarus to sack its leader.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRD) is demanding the removal of the leader of the Belarus Red Cross, who sparked global outrage by openly admitting to “moving out” Ukrainian children from Russian-controlled regions in Ukraine to Belarus.

The IFRC board announced on Wednesday that it has instructed the Belarus chapter to dismiss Dmitry Shevtsov from the post of secretary-general by 30 November. If this action is not taken, the board will recommend that all affiliated organizations cease forming new partnerships and providing funding to the Belarus branch, which may lead to its suspension from the global organization. 

An internal investigation by the IFRC determined that Dmitry Shavtsov (pictured above) of the Belarus Red Cross was "solely responsible for the allegations." It also found that another organization was responsible for moving children from Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine, with the Belarus Red Cross's involvement limited to activities within Belarus. The report, however, did not specify the identity of the other organization.

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A report broadcasted on Belarus 1 TV channel in July featured Shevtsov visiting the Russian-held Ukrainian city of Lisichansk in Luhansk, a region in eastern Ukraine.

In the footage, he claimed that the organization was actively involved in bringing Ukrainian children to Belarus for "health improvement" purposes and asserted that the Belarussian Red Cross played "an active part in it."

According to the Independent, in June, Belarussian opposition activist Pavel Latushka provided the International Criminal Court with information detailing the forced transfer of 2,100 Ukrainian children from at least 15 Russian-occupied Ukrainian cities to Belarus with Lukashenko's approval. 

Belarussian authorities have confirmed hosting more than 1,000 children aged 6-15 from Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine for health-related reasons. Officials disclosed that the first group of 350 children arrived in April but did not provide further details.

Lukashenko was immediately accused of facilitating the forcible transfer of Ukrainian children to Belarus - a charge that Minsk vehemently denied.

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Both Ukraine and the Belarussian opposition have condemned the transfer of children as unlawful deportations. Calls for international war crimes charges against the Belarussian leader, akin to those against Russian President Vladimir Putin, have also arisen. Russia is believed to have abducted around 20,000 Ukrainian children. 

Belarus has been Russia's closest ally since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Belarussian dictator Alexander Lukashenko permitted the use of national territory for the transit of troops and weaponry into Ukraine by the Kremlin. Furthermore, Lukashenko welcomed a Russian military presence in Belarus, including the deployment of Russia's tactical nuclear weapons.

While the deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia during the past 12 or 18 months was univocally called “kidnapping” nd "abduction", in the case of Belarus the IFRC changed the term to “movement” or “transfer”.

The IFRC, headquartered in Geneva, brings together 191 national organizations and primarily focuses on delivering humanitarian aid and responding to natural disasters and other crises. It operates independently from the International Committee of the Red Cross, which concentrates on conflicts, but both are part of the global Red Cross Movement.

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