Ombudsman Receives Nearly 45,000 Human Rights Complaints in Security and Defense Sector

Dmytro Lubinets, the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Verkhovna Rada, has shared the results of the Ombudsman Office's work in 2025, publishing excerpts from the annual report on his Telegram channel. According to the provided data, the Office received 44,783 complaints concerning human rights protection in the security and defense sector. Additionally, 59 monitoring visits were conducted, highlighting the active engagement of the office in this critical area.

Lubinets emphasized that one of the key aspects of the Office's work is the repatriation of Ukrainians. He stated that in 2025, there were 11 exchanges that resulted in the release of 3,435 individuals, of whom 3,180 were military personnel and 255 were civilians. As of today, since the onset of the full-scale invasion, 8,669 Ukrainians have returned home, including 445 civilians. The staff of the Ombudsman Office have consistently been among the first to welcome these individuals, providing them with the necessary support.

The Ombudsman also noted that the challenges in this sector are not diminishing, but the Office is actively seeking solutions to improve the situation. Lubinets focused on the protection of the rights of citizens affected by the war. As of the end of last year, 4 million 619 thousand Ukrainians had become internally displaced persons, while another 8 million 488 thousand individuals are currently abroad. Daily, these people face real difficulties such as finding housing, employment, access to medical services, and education.

In 2025, the Ombudsman received 6,631 complaints from internally displaced persons, 394 complaints from residents of temporarily occupied territories, and 137 complaints from individuals affected by armed aggression. The Office conducted 2,082 monitoring visits to check living conditions and access to services for these population categories. Special attention was given to shelters, with 1,066 facilities inspected, underscoring the seriousness of the situation.

Lubinets also highlighted pressing issues that require urgent solutions. Among these are the lack of a strategic state policy regarding internally displaced persons and those affected by the war, the absence of an administrative procedure, and a legally defined approach to the use of documents issued in temporarily occupied territories. Additionally, he noted the lack of a comprehensive support system for youth from temporarily occupied areas, as well as limited access for victims to compensation mechanisms for destroyed and lost property.

According to Lubinets, solutions to these challenges are needed now. He stressed that the situation demands active measures from both the state and society to ensure adequate protection of the rights of individuals affected by the war.

As reported by Ukrinform, throughout 2025, the Ombudsman Office received 6,127 complaints regarding potential violations of citizens' rights during mobilization activities. These figures highlight the importance of the Office's work and the necessity for ongoing monitoring of the human rights situation in Ukraine.

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