What happened near Kyiv as viral allegations sparked unrest outside National Guard building

Unrest erupted on Monday, 2 November, near Kyiv's National Guard building as allegations circulated online. According to investigators, around 100 people gathered outside a private house in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka, a suburb of Kyiv, alleging dozens of servicemen were being held against their will in the basement. The building was later discovered to be housing National Guard servicemen, some of whom had left their units without permission.

The situation escalated into clashes with law enforcement officers, with shots heard and police vehicles damaged, according to Ukraine's State Bureau of Investigation.

Deputy SBU chief Ivan Rudnytskyi stated that searches were being conducted at the homes of some of the alleged participants, and criminal charges were under consideration. One woman who arrived in an ambulance claimed to be a medical professional, but investigations revealed that the Med-Prestige clinic she represented had ceased operations in 2023, and the ambulance used was sold in 2024. The SBU believes the unrest was intentionally organized to abduct a National Guard serviceman who had left his unit.

Interior Minister Ivan Vyhivskyi rejected claims that the property had been used as a torture facility. The State Bureau of Investigation opened criminal proceedings into possible abuse of authority by military officials, examining the conditions of those accommodated and allegations of coercion. Four servicemen were hospitalized during the incident.

Both the unrest and allegations of military misconduct are under investigation, with calls for an impartial inquiry to protect servicemen from threats while ensuring they are returned in accordance with the law.