More than four years after the start of Russia's offensive against Ukraine, an exceptional image emerged showing Russian human rights mediator Iana Lantratova and her Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Loubinets standing side by side. The two officials met on Friday in Olechky, a southern Ukrainian city currently occupied by Russia, to supervise a rare local ceasefire aimed at evacuating civilians and delivering humanitarian aid. This operation represents one of the few instances of cooperation between Moscow and Kyiv since the war began in 2022 and bilateral relations were severed, a period during which Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky have had no direct contact.
The meeting generated a wave of contrasting reactions on Ukrainian social media, oscillating between approval and criticism. Lantratova, a former deputy accused by Kyiv and several NGOs of participating in the transfer of Ukrainian children from occupied territories to Russia, described the interaction as establishing "very constructive and simply good" relations. Loubinets, a lawyer who has become one of Kyiv's main negotiators for prisoner and body exchanges, confirmed that he communicates daily with his Russian counterpart. He noted that spending 12 hours together on a bus allowed him to raise issues regarding the return of Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians.
While some observers view the encounter as a sign of potential thawing ahead of upcoming US-mediated discussions in Abu Dhabi, others remain deeply skeptical. A soldier named Volodymyr Koval defended Loubinets on Facebook, arguing that the mediator acted to save lives trapped in Olechky. However, historian and soldier Vakhtang Kipiani expressed concern over where such humanitarian missions might lead, suggesting Loubinets could represent a hypothetical "peace party" willing to accept Moscow's maximalist conditions. Criticism also focused on Loubinets removing his signature black cap during the meeting as a sign of courtesy.
In response to the backlash, Loubinets defended his actions upon returning to Kyiv, stating that diplomatic etiquette increases the chances of positive results and that he acts primarily for Ukrainian citizens. He emphasized that he is not guided by emotions but by results, expressing a desire to establish other local ceasefires similar to the one in Olechky to assist civilians on the front lines. As of now, Russia has not responded to these proposals for further humanitarian pauses.
Sources: Le Figaro.