Combat brigades won't join pilot project on support centers for missing – ombudsman

The Military Ombudsman's Office supported the position of the families of servicemen who are concerned about the initiative of the Ministry of Defense to create regional centers for social support for missing persons and prisoners of war and their family members, and stated that combat brigades will not be involved in the project.

"The Military Ombudsman's Office supports the families' position on this issue. After a meeting with the families, where all reservations were voiced, the Ministry of Defense announced that combat brigades will not be involved in the pilot project. They promise to narrow it down to two parts of the support," the office said on its official Facebook page on Wednesday.

It stated "the Military Ombudsman's Office will monitor this process from the point of view of respecting the rights of servicemen who have the status of missing or prisoners of war."

As reported, the office has received over 230 appeals from families of servicemen who are concerned about the Ministry of Defense's initiative to create regional centers for social support of missing and prisoners of war and their family members. It is noted that the first such center has already been organized within the framework of the pilot project. The cases of missing and captured servicemen should be transferred there from military units.

"The Military Ombudsman's Office believes that the creation of regional centers, especially in haste, poses serious risks," the office said. The report lists the risks that the ombudsman sees. This is the leveling of the already established work of families with civil-military cooperation units and support services that are in military units. The risk of prolonged or incomplete transfer of personal files and documents from military units to regional centers. Complicated communication with investigators. After all, military units currently have the right to initiate criminal proceedings against a missing serviceman. At the same time, the status of regional centers in such proceedings is uncertain. It also remains unclear who will be responsible for conducting an official investigation in the event of confirmation of the death of a missing serviceman: the military unit or the regional center. In addition, the issue of organizing and financing the burial, which is currently provided by the military unit, which is well acquainted with the combat path of the fallen soldier, has not been resolved. There are no clear mechanisms for submitting a request for burial, processing documents, payments, etc.