President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has appointed Olha Reshetylova (Kobylynska) as Ukraine’s first-ever Military Ombudsman in a presidential decree. The move aims to strengthen the protection of service members’ rights across the country’s armed forces.
The presidential decree also officially released Reshetylova from her previous role as Presidential Commissioner for the Protection of the Rights of Military Personnel and Their Families, positioning her at the forefront of a newly established office dedicated exclusively to military oversight.
“This is about real protection of the rights of our warriors. It is important that this be felt at every level within the Defense Forces of Ukraine: we are doing what strengthens the army, and we are also doing what strengthens the warriors in our army,” stated Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The Office of the Military Ombudsman, launched by presidential decree on September 19, will serve as a permanent auxiliary body under the President, providing civilian oversight of rights observance for all components of Ukraine’s Defense Forces.
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This includes active-duty service members, volunteers in territorial units, reservists in training, resistance fighters in occupied territories, and law enforcement personnel engaged in combat.
Olha Reshetylova on Her Appointment
Olha Reshetylova vowed to maintain momentum in addressing complaints and appeals from military personnel.
“Just as I did in my role as the Presidential Commissioner, I will continue to work as the Military Ombudsman to ensure that our military personnel feel protected and that justice is restored for them,” she said.
The Military Ombudsman’s responsibilities include reviewing complaints, initiating inspections, and developing proposals to resolve issues related to military service.
The Military Ombudsman is appointed by the President of Ukraine for a five-year term, with the right to hold office for no more than two consecutive terms.
Zelensky Expanding Military Presence
This comes a day after Zelenskyy disclosed that Ukrainian intelligence obtained information on Russia’s intention to further exploit Belarusian territory for military operations.
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In a statement on October 15, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that after receiving a briefing from Oleh Ivashchenko, Head of the Foreign Intelligence Service, Ukrainian intelligence had identified new stages of Russian military activity in Belarus.
He noted that while specific details remain classified, the findings indicate further exploitation of Belarusian territory for military purposes.
“Oleh Ivashchenko also reported on Russia’s plan for further military exploitation of Belarusian territory,” Zelenskyy said.
“At this stage, we will not make this information public. We will notify partners who could be affected.”
The revelation comes as Kyiv intensifies efforts to strengthen international coordination on sanctions and military containment against Moscow.
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