Military ombudsman appointed in Ukraine
19 September 2025 23:42
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed a decree establishing the Office of the Military Ombudsman in Ukraine and appointing Olga Reshetylova (Kobylinska) to this position. The relevant document was published on the website of the head of state, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
“In accordance with paragraph 28 of part one of Article 106 of the Constitution of Ukraine and to implement the Law of Ukraine “On the Military Ombudsman”, I hereby decide: to establish the Office of the Military Ombudsman as a permanent subsidiary body under the President of Ukraine; to approve the Regulations on the Office of the Military Ombudsman,” the document says.
The press service of the President’s Office clarified that the military ombudsman will resolve problematic issues related to military service and consider complaints, may appoint inspections and develop solutions. He will report annually to the President and the Verkhovna Rada.
“We are going to launch the institution and systematic work. It is important that this is felt at all levels in the Ukrainian Defense Forces: we are doing what strengthens the army, we are doing what strengthens the soldiers in our army,” Zelenskyy emphasized.
What will the military ombudsman do?
Zelenskyy also approved the regulation on the Office of the Military Ombudsman, which will be a permanent auxiliary body under the President that will provide civilian control over the observance of the rights of all the Defense Forces – active military, fighters of volunteer formations of territorial communities, reservists in training, members of the resistance movement in the occupation and law enforcement officers involved in hostilities.
According to the regulation, the military ombudsman “will resolve problematic issues related to military service and consider complaints, may appoint inspections and develop solutions.”
The new law gives the ombudsman such powers as the right to consider complaints from servicemen, the right to conduct inspections in military units, access to military facilities, the possibility of urgent visits to commanders, and the right to respond to violations.
The ombudsman is obliged to submit conclusions and recommendations, and commanders must respond within a set period of time (e.g., 10 days) to the ombudsman’s comments. If there is no response, appeals may be made to the administrative court.
The Ombudsman will report annually to the President and the Verkhovna Rada.
What is known about Olga Reshetylova
Since her university days / until 2014, she worked as a journalist: she was the editor of the correspondent network department at the newspaper “Day”.
In 2014, she co-founded one of the largest foundations supporting the Ukrainian army, Come Back Alive, where she was responsible for coordinating the foundation’s work with law enforcement agencies and directly with the forces and means of the anti-terrorist operation in eastern Ukraine.
During her trips to the front, she encountered human rights violations in the context of hostilities. It was then that she decided to move to public control over the observance of justice in relation to the events of the war. In 2015, she left the foundation and focused on journalistic and civic investigations of violations in the security sector.
In September 2016, together with Maria Tomak, she founded the NGO Media Initiative for Human Rights (MIPHR), an organization that documents human rights violations during the Russian aggression.
Since 2019, she has worked at the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union (UHHRU), including as a project manager. She was also appointed by the Cabinet of Ministers to the Commission for the Selection of the Head of the NAPC (National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption).
on December 30, 2024, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree appointing Olha Reshetylova as the Presidential Commissioner for the Protection of the Rights of Servicemen and Family Members of Servicemen.
Prior to this, the President announced the creation of a military ombudsman institution, as there had been requests from the military to have their rights protected through a special body.
intercourier.news
on September 17, 2025, the Verkhovna Rada adopted a law on the military ombudsman (Bill No. 13266), which defines the status, tasks, rights and powers of this institution.
on September 19, 2025, the President signed a decree establishing the Office of the Military Ombudsman and approved its regulations. Thus, Olha Reshetylova was appointed the first military ombudsman.
