Violations of servicemembers' rights remain systemic – Lubinets
The categories of violations of servicemembers' rights in 2025 have in fact not changed compared to 2022, and the biggest problems concern mobilization, length of service, reports (requests), and corruption in Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Centers (TRCs).
The Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, stated this during a press conference, Ukrinform reports.
According to him, today's category of servicemembers differs from those who voluntarily joined the military in 2022, but the problems remain similar.
"We are recording violations caused by misunderstanding of the terms of military service. This is one of the key issues that servicemembers constantly raise," Lubinets said.
He emphasized that uncertainty regarding rotations and replacement at the frontline often becomes the reason for unauthorized abandonment of units. "Without understanding how long you will serve, without clarity about rotation, some servicemembers decide simply to leave," he noted.
Lubinets also reported numerous complaints about violations during mobilization by TRCs, including during the document-processing stage, as well as failure to respond to requests for transfers between units, delays in injury compensation payments, and failure to provide legally guaranteed leave.
"One of the largest categories of applicants remains active servicemembers. They contact us directly," he added.
Regarding countering violations, the ombudsman noted that much of the work is carried out non-publicly. "I am obligated to respond effectively, but not publicly. This is a big difference between my position and that of other government bodies," he said.
At the same time, Lubinets acknowledged the existence of corrupt practices, including in some TRCs. "Corruption exists. The question is how quickly we will respond. If the response is immediate, that is the only way we can overcome it," he stressed.
He cited a recent case in the Ivano-Frankivsk region, where during a monitoring visit representatives of his office and DBR investigators uncovered serious violations.
"On site, a room was found where Ukrainian citizens were being held, unclear passports, and large sums of money not in Ukrainian currency. I would not say this is a systemic problem, but it exists, and it cannot be ignored," Lubinets emphasized.
As reported by Ukrinform, the Commissioner for the Protection of the Rights of Military Personnel and Their Families, Olha Kobylynska, acknowledges problems with mobilization, but stresses that this does not justify attacks on TRC personnel.
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