What the Ombudsman's Office in Mykolaiv does - from orphanage to ramps

The Ombudsperson's Office in Mykolaiv region has been operating since the summer of 2024. It is headed by Spartak Gukasyan, former head of the Voznesensk District Council. The office team has already processed more than 3,500 appeals: Mykolaiv residents complain about violations during mobilisation, problems with access to information, inaccessible shelters and barriers in the city.

In an interview with «NikVesti », Spartak Gukasyan explains what people most often apply with, how they respond to complaints about the TCC, why signage has become a problem, what is wrong with the authorities' openness, and how the system of returning prisoners works.

Representative of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights in Mykolaiv region Spartak Gukasyan, photo by NikVesti

Entrepreneurs, dismantling signs and access to power

In April 2025, a conflict erupted in Mykolaiv between entrepreneurs and the city authorities over the dismantling of signs on the main pedestrian street, Soborna. The Department of Architecture referred to the updated rules for outdoor advertising, approved in September 2024, which stipulate that signs cannot be placed above the first floor and must meet the approved requirements. Entrepreneurs believe that in times of war and economic instability, such actions are untimely and harm small businesses. The situation became public after the owner of a seafood shop posted a video criticising the authorities' actions, which led to a public discussion and the intervention of the Ombudsman's representative.

- Let's start with a local conflict that is very popular in Mykolaiv - the situation with the dismantling of advertising signs. You were approached by entrepreneurs. What happened?

- The law on dismantling all inscriptions that are publicly available in Russian today is in place at the national level and has been in place for years. Therefore, those entrepreneurs who are outraged by this should have done it themselves. Another position is that many of the signs were not officially approved at all, even under the old rules of the city council. But the most important thing is that the company that came to dismantle the advertising did not have the necessary documents confirming their authority. I was personally on the spot when this company arrived at the «Ikos store». When I asked to see the documents authorising the dismantling, I received only a decision of the executive committee and a list of addresses that are public information. They couldn't show me the contract with the district administration or other documents, so they eventually left and didn't continue working.

During a meeting with the architect, we discussed that the entrepreneurs had not been notified in time, and so the architect gave them an additional 30 days to approve the advertisement and another 30 days to bring the signs into compliance. This is how the conflict was resolved.

- How does this situation reflect the general situation with access to power?

- As a representative of the Ombudsman, I have no problems getting to any official.

When the situation got to the point where we needed to find out on the basis of what legislation and documents the city council had issued, we proposed to directly involve the city council and the head of the architecture department. We were not rejected - we were freely escorted to the chief architect's office, where we were able to discuss all the issues. I can't say for sure whether my presence helped the entrepreneurs, as they might have been admitted without me.

But it is worth noting that there is another side to the coin. We often receive complaints from civil society organisations, journalists, and representatives of various groups of the population who also have the right to access public officials, and these people face obstacles.

This is especially true of the central building of the city council. At the same time, I have not heard of any cases where someone had problems with access to departments located outside the central building - social protection, territorial centres or others. There are no such obstacles there.

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As a reminder, in May 2024, journalists from «NikVesti » tried to get to the city council after a staff meeting to get comments from officials. However, they were not allowed in, explaining this by the new rules of the access regime. According to them, media representatives can visit the building only with one-time electronic passes issued through the organisational department of the city council, and only when accompanied by employees of the information support department.

On 26 July 2024, following the publication of the Institute of Mass Information, the police opened a criminal investigation into possible obstruction of the professional activities of journalists. However, during the investigation, law enforcement officers did not find any elements of a crime and closed the case.

- How do you currently assess the openness of the authorities in Mykolaiv?

- In the first 4 months of 2025, we conducted a large-scale monitoring of all official websites of territorial communities in Mykolaiv region. The website of the regional military administration had the worst result. They do not comply with all the standards set out in the law in the majority of cases. For example, try to find the current contacts of the heads or clear instructions on where citizens can apply there.

At the end of 2023, a representative of IMI in Mykolaiv Oblast drew the attention of the head of the regional executive authority, Vitalii Kim, to the fact that all orders were not published on the official website of the institution, as well as the budget of Mykolaiv Oblast, which was not publicly available. The head of the region then promised to rectify the situation.

- We also receive appeals when people send inquiries to the authorities and receive a refusal in response, citing martial law, classification or other wording. If we see a violation, we send our own request. If we are also not provided with information, we draw up an administrative report and take the case to court.

As you know, «NikVesti » won a court case against Mykolaiv CHP for access to information on salaries, bonuses and remuneration of the company's management and supervisory board, which they refused to provide upon request, citing confidentiality of information.

- "Over the past year, I can't remember a single request where we were unable to restore a person's right to access information," adds Gukasyan. "We don't do the work of the responsible authorities, we control that they fulfil their duties.

There is no system, only individual decisions: on barrier-free access in the city.

- In 2024-2025, were there any cases when the authorities denied access to public information, citing martial law?

- Yes, we have recorded such cases. And that is why we constantly remind you that there is the Law of Ukraine «On Access to Public Information», and it does not cease to be in force during martial law. In particular, Article 15 of this law clearly defines what information must be made public, and these obligations remain in place.

The martial law does impose certain restrictions, but they are explicitly stated in the Law of Ukraine «On the Legal Regime of Martial Law». It clearly states what exactly can be restricted. If officials simply respond: «"It's martial law, so we won't give you information"» - this is unlawful. Yes, martial law imposes certain restrictions, but they are clearly spelled out in the law on martial law. It can be opened and read. I think any official or state, local authorities, etc. are very well acquainted with this law. That is why I believe that if it is somehow differently formed in certain responses to applicants, then this is just some kind of misinformation.

Spartak Gukasyan headed the Ombudsman's office in Mykolaiv last summer, photo by NikVesti

- In early May, there was a high-profile situation when a person in a wheelchair was unable to get home because the lift was not working. Are you familiar with this situation? Did you work with the city authorities to avoid such incidents?

- This is an isolated case rather than a systemic solution to a problem that actually exists. I believe that the city authorities should pay attention to this and start working on the issue more comprehensively.

For example, it would be useful if condominiums provided the Department of Social Protection with lists of residents with the relevant statuses so that social services could effectively coordinate the provision of necessary services to the people who need them in apartment buildings.

We also sent an inquiry to the Department of Housing and Communal Services about this situation. The answer was that the company that maintains the lift had been contacted and given appropriate instructions. We were assured that such incidents would not happen again.

- How do you assess the level of accessibility in Mykolaiv?

- Unfortunately, it is still very low. As a person who has personally gone through similar challenges, I am well aware that barrier-free accessibility is a complex process. It's not just a ramp at the entrance or individual devices. It is necessary for a person to be able to step down from one curb, walk along paths without obstacles, get into transport and get to the right place without additional difficulties. It is this systematic, comprehensive work that creates true barrier-free accessibility. What we started doing after 2022 is to build some high-quality facilities that meet the standards. But the problem is that the entire system, the chain of barrier-free access from place to place, does not work as a whole.

Here's an example: next to Velmart, there is a bus station with a large number of minibuses and suburban buses. If you are in a wheelchair, there is a ramp on one side of the road and you can step off the curb. But on the other side, there is a curb with no entrance, and it is impossible to move on. To change this situation, I plan to gather representatives of NGOs in early June to draw up a list of problem areas. Then we will invite representatives of the authorities and discuss together how to fix it. There have been some changes, but no systematic work so far. Luckily, we have active representatives of people with disabilities who help us to sort this out.

Medical institutions without control: what the Ombudsman's inspections revealed

In the spring of 2024, after a monitoring visit by representatives of the Ombudsman to the Centre for Palliative Care for Children in Mykolaiv, serious violations were recorded. Children with disabilities were held in the institution, and the conditions found did not meet any standards of safety and decent treatment. After the publicity, the children were transferred to other regions, and the police launched an investigation.

At the same time, the office's team also inspected private geriatric institutions. Some of them were operating without proper documents, and in some cases, contrary to court decisions.

- What happened after the scandal at the Children's Palliative Care Centre?

- After the inspection conducted by the Ombudsman's Office Monitoring Group, which recorded numerous violations, children from this institution were transferred to other institutions in different regions of Ukraine. We recommended this as a temporary measure to protect their rights. At that time, criminal proceedings had already been opened under the article on torture, and they are still ongoing.

After our monitoring visit, all the collected materials were handed over to the relevant state and regional authorities. One of the key recommendations was to transfer children from this institution to a safer place. And on 5 May 2025, the regional administration confirmed that the children who had been left without parental care had been moved to Rivne and Ternopil regions. As for the criminal case, the investigation is ongoing, but without final results.

- Are there similar problems in other medical or social institutions?

- We also checked private geriatric centres. We found facts of work without the appropriate licences and documents, including contrary to a court decision. In such cases, we send appeals to the regulatory authorities - the police, social protection and healthcare departments. Where we see a risk to life or health, we act as quickly as possible.

The Ombudsman's Office regularly inspects social services institutions for human rights violations, photo by NikVesti

- Is there a criminal investigation into the situation at the private geriatric centre?

- Criminal proceedings have been opened for the unlawful use of medicines on pensioners. We sent a request to the State Emergency Service to find out when the last fire safety and other standards were checked there. It turned out that this centre, which is registered as an individual entrepreneur, should have been closed by court order long ago, and there have been relevant orders in recent years, but despite this, it is still operating.

It doesn't matter whether it is a private, local or state-run geriatric centre - all such institutions providing social services must comply with the requirements: full registration, availability of the necessary KVEDs, compliance with fire safety standards, contracts with medical services and family doctors, and agreements with relatives of the clients.

These procedures are mandatory, and Ukraine has some of the strictest laws in the world - they just need to be followed. This nursing home lacks half of the necessary documents, and does not even have special cabinets for storing medicines or food storage, although this is required by the regulations.

Although this is a private institution, the responsibility for control lies not only with specialised geriatric authorities, but also with law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, the State Emergency Service, and the State Consumer Service. They must regularly inspect such facilities and ensure that standards are met and that the residents are safe.

Over the past year, have you received any complaints about access to shelters in Mykolaiv region?

- Unfortunately, we have not received any official complaints over the year regarding denial of access to shelters. There were only 2-3 appeals where shelters were mentioned in the context of some conflicts - for example, someone was not allowed in or they could not agree on how the shelter should work. But there is no systematic flow of complaints.

But here's a real-life example. Just two weeks ago, I was walking past the chess club and saw the shelter. Everything looked as it should: there was a sign, the number of the shelter, and a phone number. But the door was closed. And the phone number was written in such a way that some of the digits were hard to make out. I tried to call, but it didn't work. And then I wondered: how does it work for an ordinary person? I did not immediately write any appeals to officials, but simply called the city call centre. The girl on the line was very polite and took down everything, even my name and phone number. I explained the situation: there is a shelter, there is a number, but it doesn't work, it's impossible to get there.

The application was accepted - everything was clear. But three days passed. And during these three days we had, I think, a dozen and a half alarms. Only on the third day did I get a call back from a man who works for the utility company responsible for this shelter. He sent me a video: the number had been rewritten clearly, the doors now open, everything works. During an alarm, you can call - they will give you the keys, and the residents will be able to go down to the shelter.

But the most interesting thing is that none of the residents of this house applied. It was solely my personal initiative.

- Have you received any requests from residents of the region regarding the inaccessibility of public spaces for people with disabilities? What are the most common problems and complaints they express?

- After 2022, most new facilities built at the expense of donors or the local budget will meet the requirements for barrier-free access. However, what was done before often does not meet the standards. For example, ramps are installed just for show, without taking into account the real needs of people with disabilities, and inclusive bathrooms are not properly equipped.

I believe that when planning barrier-free measures, it is imperative to involve people with disabilities themselves to understand what has been done correctly and what needs to be improved. This is the only way to effectively address these issues. I remember how in 2009, after a serious accident, I had to learn to walk and move again. At that time, accessibility was catastrophic - I had to overcome great difficulties with stairs, and I had to climb on a bus with great effort. It was a real «trash». Now the situation is gradually improving, although not as fast as we would like, especially given the number of people who have been disabled by the war. But there is progress, and this is important.

Complaints against TCC: Often the problem is with an individual employee, not the system

- In 2024, you said that you received more than 200 complaints about alleged violations by territorial recruitment centres. What were these violations and how were they dealt with?

- In November, we held a large-scale roundtable with the participation of heads of regional and district recruitment centres, their lawyers, representatives of the National Police, the Prosecutor's Office, the Security Service of Ukraine and lawyers. We reviewed each case in detail, not only officially documenting it, but also discussing it. Similar meetings were also held in the Pivdenoukrainska urban community and Voznesensky district.

It is important to understand that there are no systemic violations on the part of the TCCs themselves - the problems arise because of the actions of individual employees. People often confuse this and think that the whole system is not working properly. However, if a representative of a TCC uses physical force or engages in illegal actions, this is an isolated case. And those responsible must be brought to justice.

- What other typical situations do you encounter in appeals?

- People often disagree with the decisions of the CCC. For example, a man is summoned to the centre, and he believes that he is not subject to mobilisation. Then we ask him: what are the legal grounds for exemption? Has he passed a military medical examination? Is he registered? If he has not, and there are other circumstances, such as his mother's disability, this needs to be documented. Otherwise, there are no legal grounds for dismissal.

I am not saying that all appeals are of this nature, but if there are facts of illegal actions, we respond. Over the first 4 months of this year, there have been significantly fewer such appeals. We keep in touch with the deputies of the regional TCC on a daily basis, promptly respond to all reports, send official requests, and communicate with district centres. We control the situation.

Prisoners of war: how the return mechanism works

Earlier, the human rights organisation «Media Initiative for Human Rights» reported that almost 1,300 servicemen from the Mykolaiv-based 36th Separate Marine Brigade named after Rear Admiral Mykhailo Bilinsky were held captive by the Russian Federation. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the 36th Brigade has been defending Mariupol. From March to May 2022, almost two thousand of its soldiers were taken prisoner by Russia. Since then, only 287 soldiers of this brigade have returned from captivity. The rest are being held in detention centres in Taganrog, Valuiky, Kursk, Pakino, Mordovia, as well as in the occupied territories of Luhansk and Donetsk regions. In Mykolaiv, it is a tradition that citizens and relatives of servicemen come out every Sunday to hold rallies in support of the captured and missing soldiers.

- Do you have any information about their conditions of detention and where they are?

- In early May, a big meeting was held in Kyiv with the families of the prisoners of war from the 36th Brigade. Dmytro Lubinets was there, as well as representatives of the Office of the Ukrainian Parliamentary Commissioner for Human Rights and the coordination headquarters. For our part, we also meet with families of both prisoners and missing persons on a regular basis. Not only with the 36th Brigade, but with all those who contact us.

As for the conditions of detention... We shouldn't expect everything to be in line with international standards. We understand who we are dealing with. This is not a party that will adhere to the Geneva Conventions. But we - both as an institution and together with state authorities - are working through the ICRC, the UN, and ombudsmen of other countries to ensure that the detention complies with international law.

There is a result. Relatives send us letters, we follow up, and this is a stable procedure. Before the New Year, we managed to send warm clothes and hygiene products. There is feedback - families receive information about what was sent and who received what. With regard to prisoners of war, we perform a humanitarian function

We have also had three meetings with Russian Ombudsman Tatyana Moskalkova with the participation of ICRC representatives to discuss the rights of Ukrainian prisoners of war. First of all, it concerns medical care and living conditions.

- What does the mechanism of preparation for the exchange look like?

The Ombudsman's representative regularly meets with relatives of prisoners of war, photo by NikVesti

- This is done by special services and special people. We pass all the information we receive from families to Kyiv. A group has been set up there to work with all applications, and each appeal is taken into account.

- Many people have a question: are the conditions the same for everyone who gets into the exchange? After all, it is often said that a person's status determines their turn. How does it really work?

- We are not engaged in exchange. We do not create lists, nor do officials. There are clear criteria. People with serious illnesses or serious injuries are the first to be exchanged. The second category is those who already have chronic illnesses there. Then there are women, civilians who have been turned into soldiers.

You know, for example, that in Mykolaiv region we have just men, drivers, who in 2022 helped the military, delivered something, and were captured. It happened in Mariupol, in Melitopol. Although they are civilians, they are treated as prisoners of war. There are also those who, due to their age, can no longer be liable for military service. These criteria form the basis for creating the lists.

This is recognised by international standards. And the International Committee of the Red Cross - the office in Geneva, not in Kyiv or Moscow - is the main mechanism of communication between the parties. It brings together both offices in Kyiv and Moscow, as well as representatives of the Ombudsman, special services - all those who create the conditions for the exchange.

And even when the bus is already loaded with people, the special services know who is on it, but until these people reach the safe zone where the exchange takes place and the fact that this person has actually arrived is confirmed, this list is not disclosed to anyone.

- Do the sentences of Russian courts affect the possibility of exchange?

- We have many examples of people being exchanged despite their sentences. Even if they are convicted, they are returned as prisoners of war, because that is their real status.

- What about the exchange of civilians?

- This is a separate area - the fourth point of the peace formula. We have already managed to return 174 civilians. We are also helping people from the temporarily occupied territories to move to the government-controlled territory of Ukraine.

- Families often receive phone calls offering to pay for «help» in exchange for an exchange. Have there been any such cases among Mykolaiv residents?

- A lot of them. That's why both I and the representatives of the Coordination Centre conclude each meeting with one thing: please, if you are sent any «documents», «photos», «guarantees» - do not make any transfers. Just let us know. If you know the source of the message or call - what telegram channel it is registered in, what its name is - we will pass it on to special services.

I understand relatives very well. They grab every opportunity. But we ask every time: trust only official information, those who really hold the relevant position. If you get a call from «from a representative of» and he says he can return your person tomorrow - just transfer the money - well, I'm sorry, it doesn't work. We gather families together, and those who have already been burned tell others not to be fooled. And the same thing is constantly emphasised by the Ombudsman's Office: trust only trusted sources.

- Do you know how many people have already been affected by such schemes?

- There is no exact number. But as more and more families speak out about it, our services manage to block such sources and channels.

What else does the office do: appeals, visits, support

Since its establishment in August 2024, the Representative Office has processed more than 3,500 appeals by May 2026. These are complaints, applications, messages that come to us from all over the region - by phone, email, in person or during visits. The team of the Commissioner's representative consists of 3 civil service specialists and 2 coordinators on behalf of the Commissioner. The team travels to communities at least once a week, where it carries out full-fledged outreach work: consultations, appeals, explanations to local residents about their rights.

- What other requests do citizens make?

- Most often, people apply because of the lack of responses to requests to the authorities or denial of access to public information. A lot of questions come from internally displaced persons, especially regarding housing and payments. There are appeals regarding violations in the field of child protection and healthcare.

Today, for example, we received three appeals at once regarding unclear compensation procedures for damaged housing. People often do not understand how to submit documents correctly and what to do when they do not receive a response.

- Recently, the Mykolaiv Regional Council handed over the premises of a former pharmacy on Vadatursky (Faleevskaya) Street to you. Now we are located in another building. Why haven't you moved yet?

- We have repeatedly discussed this issue with the leadership of the regional council. We are currently looking for opportunities to carry out repairs in the transferred premises on Vadaturskogo Street. We are negotiating with organisations that can help us with this. The premises must meet the conditions necessary for the full-fledged work of the Human Rights Protection Centre.

The idea is that every person - regardless of their status - should be able to get to this centre without any obstacles. All conditions should be created there for high-quality reception of citizens.

The process, although delayed, is ongoing. We recently spoke with the designers - the work is underway. We have no doubt that the opening will take place. The estimated date is 1 September. That's when we want to start working in the new space.

It will be an open space office where we will be able to cooperate with active NGOs, charities, and other structures that help the residents of Mykolaiv. And, of course, we will do this together with the Ombudsman Office staff in joint projects for even more effective work.

Since its establishment, the Ombudsman's Office in Mykolaiv region has processed more than 3,500 appeals, photo by NikVesti

- How do you assess the effectiveness of your office?

- The effectiveness of our work should be assessed, first and foremost, by the people themselves - the residents of Mykolaiv and the region who come to us. But there is also an objective indicator - statistics. And it shows an increase in the number of applications every year. This, in my opinion, indicates a growing trust in our office.

For example: in 2024, we received 2,675 appeals, and in 2025 - already 3,597. And it's not the end of the year yet. In the first quarter of 2025 alone, we have already processed almost 890 appeals and inquiries. But this is only part of our work. In addition to reviewing appeals, we conduct systematic monitoring of institutions and organisations. Based on the results of such visits, we prepare reports and provide recommendations on how to correct the violations identified. And then we support the process to ensure that changes are actually implemented. This is also an important part of our work: not only to record the problem, but also to achieve its resolution.

- What is your goal in this work?

- Our main achievement is the real restoration of the rights of people who come to us. In terms of numbers, in 2024-2025, almost 75% of the appeals we processed resulted in the restoration of violated rights. This is the greatest result - not a report for the sake of a report, but concrete help to a person.

But at the same time, I want to emphasise that we are not a substitute for the authorities. Often people do not quite understand our specifics and expect us to solve their problem instead of the authorities. For example, some people believe that we can personally come and put up a fence that the city council has not allowed them to install. But this is not our function.

Our task is to restore the violated right. If a person has a legal right to something but does not receive a proper response or action from a particular institution, we intervene: we send inquiries, demand explanations, and analyse the responses. For example, if a department does not respond to a request for a utility service or compensation, we get involved in the process and support the case so that the applicant receives a substantive response. But it is important to understand that we do not do the work instead of the responsible authorities, we make sure that they fulfil their duties.

There are many cases when people come to us because they cannot get a response from the CCC or military units. We force the institutions to give the person an official response - to explain where the document is, why it is not available, and when it will be. But we do not produce the document itself. Our task is to restore the human right to information, not to perform the functions of other bodies.

Alina Kvitko, «NikVesti»