Russia's human rights chief Yana Lantratova said Thursday that she was traveling with a team of American journalists to the occupied Ukrainian town of Oleshky as Moscow and Kyiv enforce a temporary ceasefire in the area to allow for evacuations and the delivery of humanitarian supplies to locals.
Lantratova said the four journalists were from the U.S. conservative outlet Newsmax. Her Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Lubinets, was also traveling to the area around Oleshky, she added.
"We have been preparing this mission since May, thoroughly planning every stage, including the preparation of the humanitarian convoy," Lantratova wrote in a post on Telegram.
Neither Russia nor Ukraine has reported any violations of the ceasefire, which was brokered by the Trump administration and began on Tuesday.
Russia took control of Oleshky in the early days of its 2022 invasion. Residents of the town have faced regular shelling, as well as acute shortages of food and medicine.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that demining efforts were underway in Oleshky, according to the Interfax news agency.
"We hope that today or tomorrow residents will be able to receive humanitarian aid safely and without obstruction, and that those wishing to leave will be able to do so," Peskov was quoted as saying.
The ceasefire in Oleshky also applies to its surrounding areas in the wider Kherson region.
Reuters contributed reporting.
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