**New Military Ombudsman Sees Over 3,800 Appeals in First Month**
Ukraine’s new military rights commissioner, Olha Reshetylova, has received over 3,800 appeals from soldiers and their families. This is a significant number, considering she only started her post 20 days ago.
The main reasons for these appeals are lack of medical treatment and problems with transferring between military units. More than 3,500 of the appeals are related to protecting the rights of soldiers. Reshetylova’s team is working hard to address these issues, but it’s clear that more needs to be done.
Reshetylova has highlighted several cases where commanders have denied medical treatment for injuries and illnesses, including PTSD and concussions. In one case, a soldier with HIV was threatened with a desertion complaint if he left the unit to get treatment.
**Medical Treatment is Crucial**
Reshetylova emphasized that attention to a serviceman’s health should be a priority for both military doctors and commanders. She noted that untreated mental disorders can lead to higher mortality rates among soldiers and pose a danger to themselves or their comrades.
**Problems with Unit Transfers**
The Army+ app was supposed to make it easier for soldiers to transfer between units, but Reshetylova has found that this is not the case in practice. Commanders often do not carry out transfer orders or transfer servicemen against their will, which can complicate the process.
**Helping Families of Missing Soldiers**
A significant number of appeals also come from relatives of missing soldiers and prisoners of war. Reshetylova’s office is working to help these families find answers and get support.
**New Military Ombudsman Role Created**
Ukraine’s Defense Ministry created the new military ombudsman position in April to ensure that soldiers have a way to report violations of their rights. The ombudsman will be responsible for investigating complaints, providing legal assistance, and conducting inspections.
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