Ukrainian president appoints first military Ombudsperson to strengthen troop rights oversight

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has officially appointed Olha Reshetylova (Kobylynska) as the country’s first Military Ombudsperson, marking a historic milestone in Ukraine’s efforts to institutionalise the protection of service members' rights and establish stronger civilian oversight over the armed forces.

Under the presidential decree published on the official website of the President of Ukraine, the newly created position is tasked with addressing service-related issues, reviewing complaints from military personnel, and initiating inspections while formulating practical solutions. The appointment follows the earlier dismissal of Reshetylova from her previous role as Commissioner for the Protection of the Rights of Servicemen and Their Families, Caliber.Az reports, citing Ukrainian media.

“The main priority now is launching the Office of the Military Ombudsman. At the same time, it is important not to lose the momentum in processing and responding to appeals and complaints from service members,” Reshetylova stated.

The creation of the Office of the Military Ombudsman was initiated by presidential decree on September 19, 2025, which also approved the framework defining the office’s responsibilities and authority. The new body will function as a permanent auxiliary unit under the President of Ukraine and will introduce a formal mechanism of civilian oversight over the rights of all categories of the defence forces.

This includes active-duty personnel, volunteer formations of territorial communities, reservists during training, participants in the resistance movement under occupation, and law enforcement officers involved in combat operations.

The appointment represents the culmination of a two-year process to institutionalise the role. The initiative was first announced in September 2023 by then-Defence Minister Rustem Umerov. President Zelenskyy reiterated its importance in November 2024 during the presentation of Ukraine’s Internal Resilience Plan to the Verkhovna Rada. One month later, Reshetylova was appointed as Commissioner for the Rights of Servicemen and their Families.

By Vafa Guliyeva