Supporting the Reform of General Military Regulations
The current general military regulations were adopted in 1999 and largely reflect outdated Soviet-era approaches to discipline, subordination, and the organisation of military life.
Servicemembers have expressed a clear need to update these regulations so that they reflect the realities of the current war and the evolving culture of the Ukrainian military. This is also evidenced by the findings of an analytical study on the reform of general military regulations prepared by NGO Frontline Reforms and the Ministry of Defence Reform Support Office, with the support of the Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA) and Transparency International Ukraine.
The expert discussion involved representatives of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Military Ombudsman Olha Reshetylova, Deputy Ministers of Defence Yevhen Moisiuk and Oksana Ferchuk, as well as representatives of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Land Forces Command, and the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
Key areas for improvement include:
- reducing excessive formalism and centralisation and introducing more flexible approaches to decision-making;
- reflecting the actual culture of the modern Ukrainian military, based on trust and initiative;
- taking into account the digitalisation of documentation processes and the use of modern tools within the Armed Forces;
- establishing a transparent hierarchy with more flexible regulatory frameworks;
- ensuring compatibility with NATO principles and doctrines, and strengthening the role of the NCO corps;
- shifting from a punitive approach towards a human-centred approach based on respect for the dignity of servicemembers.
The Office of the Military Ombudsman considers these changes long overdue and relevant. Therefore stands ready to contribute to further interagency cooperation in the development and implementation of this reform.
