Olha Reshetylova has become Ukraine’s first military ombudsman, a role she helped establish to address abuses within the country’s armed forces amid ongoing conflict with Russia. Appointed by President Volodymyr Zelensky in October, Reshetylova’s position marks a significant development in a military institution long regarded with national reverence but criticized for internal mistreatment of soldiers.

For over a decade, Reshetylova, 40, worked as a civilian advocate focusing on soldiers’ rights and military abuses. She faced considerable resistance, including threats of criminal prosecution and an episode in which soldiers were ordered to point rifles at her to block her entry to a military base. She was also targeted by online disinformation campaigns labeling her a foreign agent. Despite these challenges, her persistence led to presidential recognition and the formal creation of her role as an ombudsman, with a mandate she helped define.

Since assuming office, Reshetylova has handled thousands of complaints from members of Ukraine’s nearly one-million-strong military about the treatment they receive from superior officers. Many of the reported issues include cases of retaliation, such as commanders threatening to send soldiers on perilous missions as punishment. Reshetylova emphasized that maintaining soldiers’ dignity is crucial, even amidst the grave conditions of a protracted war.

Her work is informed by personal experience: her husband is actively engaged in the conflict, and they have two young sons who could also face conscription if hostilities continue. This personal connection strengthens her resolve as she navigates skeptical attitudes among some military commanders. While some officers have questioned her authority or suggested that she spend time on the front lines before offering guidance, Reshetylova noted wryly that she has likely spent more time at command posts than many commanders themselves.

The ongoing war, which has increasingly involved drone warfare, presents severe challenges for soldiers, including extended periods confined in underground bunkers without the ability to safely tend to sanitation needs or evacuate injured comrades. Reshetylova advocates for changes in military training to prepare troops for survival in such harsh conditions, including enduring freezing temperatures without fire, which could reveal their positions to enemy forces.

Reshetylova’s advocacy began in 2014 following Russia’s annexation of Crimea and the outbreak of separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine. At that time, she was caring for her first child and became involved in supporting encircled soldiers from her hometown by raising funds for body armor. She later co-founded the non-governmental organization Come Back Alive and worked as a human rights journalist specializing in soldiers’ issues. After Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, she initially focused on documenting Russian war crimes but returned attention to abuses within Ukraine’s ranks upon encountering numerous violations against Ukrainian troops.

Before her current appointment, Reshetylova held a precursor position as commissioner for protecting soldiers’ rights, laying the groundwork for the formal ombudsman office she now leads. Her role represents a growing recognition within Ukraine’s military establishment of the need to address the welfare and rights of its personnel during a conflict that continues to strain the country’s social and political fabric.