Military ombudsman warns of penalties for commanders who ignore findings

Failure by military leadership to comply with conclusions issued by the military ombudsman could lead to administrative liability, according to Ukraine’s Office of the Military Ombudsman.

The military ombudsman primarily reviews complaints related to military service. Service members involved in combat operations, as well as their family members, are entitled to submit complaints to the Office.

The procedure was outlined by First Deputy Military Ombudsman of Ukraine, Ruslan Tsyhankov, during a briefing at the Media Center Ukraine. 

“Once the military ombudsman decides to conduct an investigation, the decision is sent to the military unit or military command, with the issues to be examined clearly specified,” Tsyhankov said. “The investigation includes on-site and off-site inspections and interviews with military personnel.”

Under current law, up to 30 days are allotted for additional review of a complaint, he said. Following that period, the ombudsman issues a conclusion requiring commanders to address identified deficiencies and restore violated rights.

“If the command fails to take the measures outlined in that conclusion, the law provides for administrative liability for officials. At present, a relevant draft law is under consideration by lawmakers, which would allow for the drafting of administrative violation protocols,” Tsyhankov said. 

Service members who file complaints with the Office of the Military Ombudsman are notified once an investigation into their case has been launched.

Read more: https://mediacenter.org.ua/news