She shared this on her Facebook page.
According to Reshetilova, in the appeals she received, military personnel complain that they are unable to obtain referrals for treatment after injuries, for urgent and planned surgeries, as well as for the consequences of severe concussions, panic attacks, and acute post-traumatic disorders.
“The appeals show that not following the recommendations of medical professionals, even from their own unit, is often the position of the commander. There is no individual approach or consideration,” noted Reshetilova.
The ombudsman states that servicemen suffer from illnesses for months and ultimately “very often simply go to the SOC to receive medical assistance.” She provided an example of a serviceman with HIV who voluntarily mobilized at the beginning of the war but is now facing worsening health issues.
“Some units do not send personnel for treatment and medical commission. As of January 24, they have a referral for surgery, while some units threaten to file a complaint with the SOC. Why? What does the military unit aim to achieve? The death of this serviceman? His effective performance of duties in such a condition?” the official asked.
Reshetilova mentioned that sometimes she has to personally call commanders to “explain the situation and ask them to sign the report.”
“But it shouldn’t be this way. Attention to the health condition of servicemen should be a priority for military medical personnel, unit commanders, and the entire system as a whole,” she emphasized.
The second most common issue is transfers between military units, the ombudsman points out. She states that “very often” commanders do not comply with transfer orders or deliberately transfer servicemen against their will to different positions.
“Yesterday, one officer told me directly: ‘We will not allow them to steal our people.’ But servicemen are not goods. They serve where they feel respected. Therefore, the staffing of a unit is the primary indicator of a commander’s leadership qualities,” believes the ombudsman.
Additionally, Reshetilova mentioned the issue of the SOC, appeals from the families of prisoners of war and the missing, as well as stories of torture, beatings, and cruel treatment by their own command. Reports of torture appeared in six appeals.
“We quickly identified the person who tortured a serviceman with a stun gun in front of the formation. It turned out to be the battalion commander. It became clear that the mockery and beatings, often without reason, are a systematic practice in this battalion,” the official reported.
She noted that based on her statement, the State Bureau of Investigations (GBR) opened a criminal case. An internal investigation is currently underway, and the commander has already been suspended from duty.
“Everyone has known about the situation in this battalion since approximately September. Beaten servicemen filed complaints with the military prosecutor's office and higher command, and the situation was documented by counterintelligence. But no one took any measures. This deserves a separate investigation,” she concluded.
At the same time, 302 appeals did not pertain to the protection of servicemen, the official reported. According to Reshetilova, in these letters, people “seek justice and try to appeal to all branches of government” to draw attention to their problems. The military ombudsman’s office forwarded such appeals to various authorities.
Back in April 2024, the Ministry of Defense, together with the Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada for Human Rights, Dmitry Lubinets, established the Central Office for the Protection of Servicemen's Rights. This body effectively provided for the creation of the position of military ombudsman.
On November 19, during the presentation of the internal "sustainability plan" in parliament, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that the Ministry of Defense and military command must choose and appoint a military ombudsman in the near future.
On December 30, the head of state signed a decree appointing Olga Reshetilova as the ombudsman for the protection of servicemen's rights and their families. Prior to this, she worked as a journalist and human rights activist.