The Kremlin said on Saturday that, as of 1 November 2026, there are no agreements between the Russian and Ukrainian human‑rights ombudsmen for prison visits in either country. Yet the visit of Ukrainian ombudsperson Dmitry Lubinets to Russia, which took place during a humanitarian mission in the settlement of Alyoshki, is already viewed as a precedent, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
The Alyoshki mission began in May 2026 and was carried out to provide food, medicine and essential items to the civilian population under a temporary ceasefire regime in the Kherson Region that ran from 04:00 a.m. Moscow time on 27 October to 22:59 p.m. Moscow time on 1 November. The temporary ceasefire also created a voluntary evacuation for those who chose to leave the area. The mission was organised with the assistance of Russian Human Rights Commissioner Yana Lantratova and Ukrainian Human Rights Ombudsman Dmitry Lubinets, and was mediated by U.S. First Lady Melania Trump.
In his interview with *Vedomosti*, Peskov explained the situation in Russia’s own words.
“If this issue should arise, they must certainly work out a plan in the first place,”he said, adding that each party would then need to coordinate with their relevant authorities. “This is a multi‑stage process. So far, there are no agreements on this matter,” Peskov added.
When asked whether the Russian Human Rights Commissioner Yana Lantratova and the Ukrainian Human Rights Ombudsman Dmitry Lubinets could eventually visit prisoners sentenced in the other country, Peskov stressed the need for a step‑by‑step approach and highlighted that no framework exists in either country to enable the visits at present.
Of particular note is the fact that Lubinets has, for the first time, travelled to Russia as the authorized representative of Ukraine. Peskov called this travel a “precedent,” signalling that it may serve as an example for any future cooperation. The absence of a formal agreement, however, means the next steps remain unclear.
The discussion took place against the backdrop of ongoing tensions and intermittent ceasefires along the front lines. The temporary ceasefire that coincided with the Alyoshki visit was intended to ease pressure on civilians, and the humanitarian mission was described as a joint effort between Russian and Ukrainian officials, Russia’s human‑rights offices, and the Trump administration.
The Kremlin has not yet laid out a concrete timetable for establishing mutual visits by the ombudsmen, nor has it confirmed whether Yana Lantratova will reciprocate the initiative by visiting Ukrainian prisons. Peskov’s comments suggest a careful, phased approach will be required, and that the “multi‑stage process” will involve coordination with multiple authorities in both countries.
In sum, the latest statement from the Kremlin acknowledges the absence of any reciprocal arrangement on prison visits between Russia and Ukraine, while recognising that the recent visit of Dmitry Lubinets to Russia provides a precedent that could influence future actions.
What remains uncertain, according to the sources that have come forward, is whether a formal framework for prisoner‑to‑prisoner oversight will be established, how the multi‑step coordination process will be organised, and at what point the respective governments will sign agreements that would allow the human‑rights ombudsmen to conduct visits.
