The father of two minor children was mobilized after their mother’s death — Ombudsman

The father of two minor children, whose mother had died, was discharged from military service following the intervention of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights. Before that, the man had waited almost two months for his report requesting discharge on family grounds to be considered. Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets reported this, according to UNN.

Details

According to Lubinets, after the death of the mother of the two children, born in 2019 and 2022, their father was left as the only person who could fully care for them. However, in May 2026, the man was mobilized into the Armed Forces of Ukraine. After that, the minors lived with their grandmother for almost two months and waited for their father to return.

In June 2026, the serviceman submitted a report requesting discharge from service on family grounds. However,  its consideration was delayed, in particular because the man was transferred from one military unit to another. The children’s services at the family’s place of residence were unable to establish contact with the military unit, after which they appealed to the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights.

Lubinets reported that he had opened the relevant proceedings and repeatedly appealed to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, demanding that the situation be resolved. Eventually, the man was discharged from military service, after which he returned home to his children.

"For almost two months, the family waited for a decision that should have been made without unnecessary delays. Eventually, the father was discharged from military service. He returned home. To his children. The family was reunited," Lubinets said.

At the same time, the ombudsman emphasized that the problem extends beyond one specific family. According to him, people are increasingly turning to the Commissioner’s Office after already using other mechanisms provided by the state but still failing to obtain the necessary decision.

"Today, we are increasingly becoming the last resort for people—when they have already gone through all possible mechanisms but still have not received a decision. This is a failure of the state system, which should operate without the ombudsman’s intervention," he noted.

Lubinets emphasized that children should not suffer because of bureaucratic procedures, especially in cases where the family has already experienced the loss of one of the parents.

"Children must not become hostages to bureaucracy. Especially when they have already lost their mother and are simply waiting for their father," the Ombudsman stressed.

Lubinets also linked similar cases to the consequences of what he described as an unsuccessful reform carried out by the former leadership of the Ministry of Defense. In addition, he urged citizens to arrange in advance the documents required to obtain a deferment from mobilization if they have legal grounds for one.

"Timely preparation of documents is very important. I ask citizens not to ignore this. If you are entitled to a deferment, arrange it in advance," Lubinets added.

Reminder

In Dnipro, the sole caregiver of a 17-year-old orphan girl was mobilized and sent to a training ground. Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets is currently clarifying all the circumstances, as the girl was left without a legal representative.