Роль Міжнародного комітету Червоного Хреста в захисті цивільного населення в Україні: правовий і практичний аспект

The article is devoted to a comprehensive study of the role of the International Committee of the Red Cross in the protection of civilians in Ukraine through the prism of legal and practical aspects. The historical prerequisites for the emergence of the ICRC were considered, within the framework of which it was found out that its creation dates back to 1863. The legal basis for the functioning of the International Committee of the Red Cross is analyzed. It is established that the ICRC has been established as an independent and neutral organization, whose activities are regulated by the norms of international humanitarian law and are carried out in order to ensure the protection of victims of armed conflicts and the provision of humanitarian assistance to them, regardless of political, national or ideological factors. It is stated that the ICRC, having an international mandate, exercises key powers in the field of protection of civilians, which are normative enshrined in the Geneva Convention «On the Protection of Civilians in Time of War» of 1949. However, the ICRC has its own status (sui generis). It is revealed that the legal personality of the ICRC in Ukraine is determined by the provisions of the bilateral international legal act - the Treaty between the Government of Ukraine and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on the opening of the ICRC Mission in Ukraine. The mission of the International Committee of the red cross began its activities in Ukraine in 2014 in connection with the armed conflict in the east of the state. However, humanitarian activities intensified after the introduction of martial law on February 24, 2022 due to the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation. Within the framework of this scientific article, the indicators of the Report on the activities of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Ukraine in various fields from January to December 2024 were considered. The activities of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Ukraine are characterized through a set of measures aimed at protecting the civilian population, including the search for missing persons, the organization of evacuation from dangerous territories, the provision of medical care, as well as support for persons in difficult social conditions. It is also important to ensure the continuity of education for children through programs to restore access to education in conflict situations.