Ukrainian soldier declared missing kept fighting on despite injuries, military ombudsman says
Photo: Military Ombudsman Olha Reshetylova (Getty Images)
More than a hundred complaints about violations of military personnel rights are processed every week. Among them was the story of a soldier who was considered missing in action while he was wounded and helping to defend positions, reports the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, citing Military Ombudsman Olha Reshetylova.
Reshetylova shared some particularly difficult and striking cases of rights violations she is already handling.
"We process about 100 complaints every week. There have been cases when a military unit considered a soldier missing in action, but he survived, wounded, left the occupied territory, and even helped to defend positions," she said.
The Military Ombudsman emphasized that such stories inspire her to work even harder.
"I accepted this position to motivate people to stay in service or to join the military. If I manage to restore motivation for even a few soldiers a day, that means the day was not wasted," Reshetylova concluded.
As a reminder, on December 30, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appointed Olha Reshetylova as the Presidential Commissioner for the Protection of the Rights of Military Personnel and Their Families — the Military Ombudsman.
He noted that the main task is to prepare a draft law on the Military Ombudsman along with the Ministry of Defense and civil society, as well as all necessary foundations for the work of this institution.
Recently, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov stated that the Military Ombudsman institution will have real authority and transparent mechanisms to address violations of the rights of military personnel.
