Russian Red Cross Society
Russian Red Cross Society
The Russian Red Cross Society (Rossiyskiy Krasny Krest) is a volunteer-led humanitarian organization in Russia. It provides emergency help, disaster relief, and education, and acts as Russia’s national branch of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Today, it focuses on issues affecting undocumented migrants and, with help from the international federation, offers food parcels and support to people who are detained.
History and leadership
It was established by order of Emperor Alexander II. In Moscow, Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna led the work. The organization was formed on 15 May 1867. Its headquarters are at 5 Cheryomushkinsky Drive, Akademichesky District, Moscow. The chairman is Pavel Olegovich Savchuk. The organization had about 65,000 volunteers in 2019. Its website is redcross.ru.
Past activities
In 1914 there were 109 Red Cross nursing schools and 25,000 Sisters of Mercy were trained between 1914 and 1916. It ran nursing and sanitary courses in Moscow in 1919 and supported mentally ill soldiers.
Recent years and controversies
In October 2022, during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Russian Red Cross raised money to support Russian soldiers and their families, reducing government costs. In November 2022 Ukraine accused the Russian Red Cross of taking Ukrainian Red Cross premises, equipment, and vehicles in Crimea. Its operations in occupied Ukraine were criticized as violating ICRC rules and linked to nationalist and paramilitary groups in Russia. The society also raised funds and helped obtain military equipment such as thermal vision gear, and held an annual gala at the Avangard arms factory in Moscow. Some RRCS officials praised the “special military operation” and described Ukrainians in strong terms, opposing ceasefire talks.
In 2023 the Russian government began replacing ICRC operations in occupied territories with commercially registered groups named Donetsk Red Cross and Luhansk Red Cross.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 05:05 (CET).