Since January 2026, Ukraine’s Ombudsman Office has received over 3,000 complaints regarding the actions of military recruitment and social support centers. This figure was shared by Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian Parliament’s Commissioner for Human Rights, during an interview with Radio Liberty.
Lubinets clarified that this number only reflects direct complaints from citizens and does not include violations identified by Ombudsman Office staff. He suggested that the actual number of grievances could be three times higher, as information also comes from media reports, social networks, and testimonies from individuals unable to file formal complaints.
In comparison, the Ombudsman Office recorded a total of 6,127 complaints throughout 2025. The majority of these complaints pertained to issues such as the use of force, the wearing of masks by military personnel, and the removal of identification insignia by recruitment center staff.
Lubinets stated that he has communicated information about systemic violations to every Minister of Defense during his tenure, which began on July 1, 2022. He admitted that he had previously refrained from making these violations public, believing that he was effectively addressing them through legal channels. However, he now believes that public awareness is the most effective means of instigating change.
“I think I made a mistake. I was trying to do my legal work effectively, but it turns out that the only system that can influence change is publicity,” Lubinets said.
Since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, martial law has been declared, and general mobilization has been announced. The Ukrainian Parliament continues to extend the duration of martial law and mobilization every three months.
Reports of scandals and conflicts between recruitment center staff and civilians have become commonplace in Ukraine’s information landscape. Negative narratives surrounding mobilization spread rapidly on social media. Ukrainian military officials and government representatives attribute this phenomenon to Russian information and psychological operations. Additionally, there are frequent reports of corruption within recruitment centers.
Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine's Ombudsman, reported a significant rise in complaints against military recruitment centers, indicating systemic issues and a need for greater public accountability. The ongoing conflict has exacerbated tensions and highlighted corruption within these institutions.