Ministry of Defence outlines directions for the development of Support Services of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine presented key ways to improve the work of Support Services within the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This was discussed at a meeting with representatives of Armed Forces of Ukraine units at the strategic and operational levels, chaired by Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine Lieutenant General Yevhen Moisiuk.
“Every defender of Ukraine and their families deserve dignity and respect. Ministry of Defence specialists have prepared changes intended to enhance social support for service members. Such meetings help harmonize approaches and identify which issues must be addressed as priorities to establish a robust social support system within the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” said Lieutenant General Yevhen Moisiuk.
Ministry of Defence representatives outlined three key approaches to improving activities in this area:
- Developing new and refining existing regulatory and legal frameworks governing the functioning and development of Support Services within the Ministry of Defence system.
- Balancing workloads among social support specialists in military units, military medical facilities, and Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Centers (enlistment offices) to ease the workload of combat units.
- Enhancing the effectiveness of social support for wounded service members and assistance to the families of prisoners of war, those missing in action, and fallen service members through the implementation of the “Support” information and communication system.
Within the Ministry of Defence structure, dedicated units have already been established to develop policy on prisoners of war and persons missing in action, as well as to formulate the regulatory and legal framework for planning and developing Support Services.
Three projects are being implemented to redistribute workloads among social support specialists in military units, military medical facilities, and Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Centers (enlistment offices).
- The transformation of reintegration centers within the Medical Forces Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Specifically, reserve companies have been formed within the centers' structure, with service members released from captivity assigned to them. This will simplify a number of procedures related to the exercise of their rights and guarantees.
- Improving the registration of prisoners of war and service members missing in action, as well as support for their family members, through the establishment of regional Social Support Centers within the Operational Commands of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
- Support for service members undergoing treatment in civilian healthcare facilities. This project involves personnel from the Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Centers (enlistment offices), who are assigned to healthcare facilities on a territorial basis and act as liaisons between hospitals, service members, and military units.
Furthermore, enhancing the effectiveness of social support for wounded service members and assistance to the families of prisoners of war, fallen, and missing-in-action personnel will be pursued through the digitalization of Support Services. For this purpose, the Ministry of Defence experts are developing the “Support” information and communication system to ensure that support service specialists in military units have comprehensive information on service members’ movements, treatment, and documentation. The program will also involve representatives of medical institutions and Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Centers (enlistment offices), who will be able to provide timely information to military units regarding their service members.