Ukraine’s SBU identifies 100 participants in unrest near Kyiv, weighs arrests

Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) has launched investigations into unrest near a military facility in Kyiv, identifying around 100 participants who may face detention. The unrest occurred outside a military base in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka, a village in Kyiv Oblast, and is believed to have been planned in advance to free an AWOL serviceman.

SBU Deputy Chief Ivan Rudnytskyi stated that the incidents involved obstruction of the Armed Forces' lawful activities and disclosure of sensitive information. Law enforcement officers are searching for evidence and considering formal notices of suspicion against the participants. The organizers aimed to generate widespread public attention, effectively intending to abduct the serviceman.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian Interior Minister Ivan Vyhivskyi dismissed claims of torture chambers at the facility as false, stating that the detained woman was attempting to aid draft evaders. On November 2, reports surfaced on social media about armed men holding about 40 people in the basement of the building, preventing medical assistance.

Kyiv Oblast police dismissed these allegations as false, with about 100 people gathering outside, accusing the men of being beaten, denied medical care, and extorted for visits. Four men were hospitalized after the crowd forced their way inside, smashing windows and damaging property. The Azov Corps confirmed the men were injured and pledged to punish those responsible if the allegations of excessive force were proven true.

The SBI and the Military Ombudsman's Office initiated an internal investigation, while the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces called for respect and fair treatment of service members in any subsequent investigation, emphasizing the importance of basing conclusions on established facts, not emotions or public pressure.