Ministry of Defense restored rights for over 2700 military personnel: how the number of appeals is increasing

Increase in appeals to the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine

According to Мін. Оборони: The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has restored the rights of over 2,700 military personnel over the year, recording a significant increase in appeals to the Main Directorate for the Protection of the Rights of Military Personnel. During the reporting period, over 7,600 appeals were processed, indicating an intensification of the process to protect the rights of military personnel and their families.

Among the restored rights, 2,734 military personnel and their families received actual restoration of their rights. In 2024, this figure was about a thousand, highlighting a significant increase in appeals. To improve the situation, 44 field inspections were also conducted at military units, territorial recruitment centers, and medical institutions. As a result of the work, 166 recommendations were provided for conducting official checks and 46 reports of criminal offenses were sent to law enforcement agencies.

Steps towards reforming the system for protecting the rights of military personnel

Important steps in reforming the system for protecting the rights of military personnel included the development of amendments to 9 regulatory acts and the adoption of the Law on the Military Ombudsman. Appeals received by the Ministry concerned various issues, among which the most attention was paid to:

• payment of monetary support and additional rewards (11%)
• payments to families of military personnel who are in captivity or missing (7%)
• search for the missing (6%)
• transfer of military personnel to another place of service (5%)

This data indicates the need for further work in the field of protecting the rights of military personnel and their families.

The increase in the number of appeals to the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine may indicate an increase in the awareness of military personnel and their families regarding their rights, as well as an intensification of the processes to protect these rights at the state level. The adoption of new legislation and the conduct of inspections may contribute to improving the situation; however, challenges in this area remain, especially in the context of ensuring social guarantees for military personnel and their loved ones. Overall, the active work of the Ministry in the direction of protecting the rights of military personnel is an important step towards strengthening the legal system of the country in the context of conflict.