Brief
ICRC advises Ukrainian families on writing to POWs
The International Committee of the Red Cross suggests simple, non‑political letters in Russian to improve delivery to Ukrainian prisoners of war.
By Felo News Desk · Published
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) issued guidance for Ukrainian families writing to relatives held as prisoners of war. It recommends sharing everyday news – births, graduations, hobbies – while avoiding any military, political or Ukrainian‑symbol content. The ICRC also suggests using Russian language to reduce the risk of censorship, noting that guards may review and possibly block letters they cannot read. Families may include photos, but the ICRC warns that images could be exposed publicly. Recent repatriated POWs reported that children’s drawings were sometimes allowed to stay in cells. The advice aims to give letters the best chance of reaching captives promptly.
Key facts
- ICRC advises families to write simple, non‑military updates to POWs (icrc.org)
- Letters should be written in Russian to improve delivery (icrc.org)
- Guards may censor letters they cannot read (icrc.org)
- Photos can be risky as they might become public (icrc.org)
- Children’s drawings have been allowed to stay in cells (icrc.org)
Sources
- [1] icrc.org — originally reported as “Ukraine: Letters from families to prisoners of war”
