In brief
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said there are currently no arrangements for reciprocal visits by Russian and Ukrainian human‑rights commissioners, despite Ukraine's Dmitry Lubinets having recently visited Russia. He stressed that such visits would require a multi‑step coordination process. The visit took place amid a humanitarian mission in Alyoshki amid a temporary ceasefire in Kherson.
Moscow, October 31, 2026 – Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on the sidelines of a Kremlin briefing that no arrangements exist for reciprocal prison visits between Russian and Ukrainian human‑rights commissioners, but the recent trip of Ukraine’s ombudsperson Dmitry Lubinets to Russia already set a precedent.
Dmitry Peskov explained to Russia’s Vedomosti daily that if a request for such visits were ever to arise, the two parties would first need to draft a detailed plan before proceeding.
Dmitry Peskov:
Если бы вопрос возник, они, безусловно, должны сначала выработать план,
Dmitry Peskov:
Затем, конечно, каждая сторона должна будет согласовать его с соответствующими органами.
He added that the overall process would be “multi‑stage” and emphasized that “so far there are no agreements on this matter.”
Dmitry Peskov:
Это многопошаговый процесс. На данный момент договорённостей пока нет.
He noted that Lubinets’s arrival in Russia marked the first time a Ukrainian human‑rights envoy had crossed the border, an event that, according to Peskov, constitutes a precedent for future meetings.
Dmitry Peskov:
Лубинец приехал в Россию. Это впервые. Первый раз он пришёл в Россию, создавая прецедент.
The visit accompanied a broader humanitarian mission to the settlement of Alyoshki in the Kherson region, carried out under a temporary ceasefire regime that began at 04:00 a.m. Moscow time on October 27 and ended at 22:59 p.m. Moscow time on November 1.
During the mission, a voluntary evacuation was organized for residents who chose to leave Alyoshki, while those who remained were supplied with food, medicine and other essential items.
Preparations for the Alyoshki mission began in May 2026 with the cooperation of Russian Human Rights Commissioner Yana Lantratova, Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmitry Lubinets and, unusually, with the mediation of U.S. First Lady Melania Trump.
In summary, Peskov underscored that while a precedent had been set by Lubinets’s visit, the establishment of formal agreements for mutual visits would require a rigorous, multi‑step coordination process involving relevant authorities on both sides.
