Dima
I understand your frustration with not getting direct assistance from Red Cross but to be of any use they must remain completely neutral. There are many other NGO's working in Ukraine to help and Red Cross also has a very big presence.
The boss of Red Cross did not have to visit Ukraine as his country director already has full co-operation from the Ukrainian Government. He had to go to Russia to convince them that Red Cross should have access to the possibly forced refugee camps (and probably Prisoner of War camps as well). These have the potential to be very embarrassing for the Russians and you would expect them to try to hide them. The boss of the Red Cross convinced them to go against their normal policy of secrecy and false news and allow a neutral party in to report to the world and protect Ukraine citizens in the camps.
Opening corridors through fighting fronts, negotiating military truces and making sure the path is secure is the job of the fighting forces and governments involved. Red Cross can not order a cease fire or go past a point blocked by a fighting force of either side. Once the corridor is open the Red Cross can get involved in receiving people and making sure they are accommodated, fed and identified.
Nobody but the Red Cross and military ambulances and hospitals can use the red cross insignia. The laws about the protection of the cross (or crescent) are very strict and agreed upon by almost every country in the world. The busses you refer to were private vehicles driven by volunteers, the Red Cross did not organise them and had no control over them. The busses were in convoy and easily identified, both sides knew their purpose.
If one bus was found to be carrying weapons or military supplies, someone on board (even one individual idiot doing it by himself with no official orders to spy) was taking photos or reporting enemy positions as they drove through the lines the entire wrath of the enemy would be turned upon this treacherous action. Before long the battlefield would become an animal fight with each side accusing the other of false use of the Red Cross. Ambulances and hospitals would just become another target.
Millions of lives have been saved because even the most cruel armies have generally recognised the Red Cross sign. Of course there are accidents and unintentional targeting of medics, ambulances and hospitals. These after all are situated on battlefields in the vicinity of genuine targets but deliberate widespread targeting is almost unheard of. Naturally if a hospital is hit the propaganda is that it was deliberately targeted.
As I said, I understand how frustrated you are with them but they can not be seen to be involved in a conflict, supporting one side or even leaning one way. To do the job that everyone wants of them they must remain totally impartial, their sign must be used only by those allowed by international agreement and not a general "safe" insignia to be used by anyone. They can not judge or comment. they are there without fear or favour to help the victims of war be they military or civilian from any side.
I believe they are trying very hard with millions of dollars and hundreds of personnel being sent to help the millions of Ukrainians, mainly women and children, find a safe place to go to in Europe and seeing they are fed, sheltered and recorded for their relatives to find them.
Lang