Who is Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine’s ombudsman walking a fine line with Russia

Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets helped secure the evacuation of civilians from Russian-occupied Oleshky in late October, using a local ceasefire that lasted five days. His role highlights the difficult balance he faces: communicating with Russian officials can help protect Ukrainians, but images of him greeting Russia’s ombudsman have drawn criticism at home.

Lubinets, 45, was appointed by parliament in July 2022 after serving as a lawmaker and chairing its human rights committee. He says he sets aside his personal feelings because communication can affect Ukrainian lives and health; his hometown, Volnovakha, is under Russian occupation, and he has said close friends were killed in the war. His appointment was questioned by rights activists, while a 2025 poll found 48% of Ukrainians trusted the ombudsman institution.