On November 2, mass riots took place in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka near one of the National Guard buildings. The next day, Ukraine's Minister of Internal Affairs, Ihor Klymenko (referred to by surname Vyhovskyi in local reports), stated at a briefing that loud claims about a 'torture chamber' and deaths at the temporary NGU deployment point do not correspond to reality and are a provocation, according to an RBC-Ukraine correspondent. According to him, the fakes about the 'torture chamber' and the dead were spread by a woman who introduced herself as a medic; she and the ambulance driver have already been detained under Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine.

'Staged Situation'

The minister called the events in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka a 'staged situation.' According to his version, it began when the pseudo-medic arrived in a vehicle bearing an emergency medical service chevron and emotionally broadcasted live; upon seeing the stream, people began gathering at the location. Vyhovskyi emphasized that the building was under the legal lease of the National Guard and assured that the Ministry of Internal Affairs would conduct an internal investigation and establish the circumstances of the incident.

Version of the 'Draft Dodger Extraction Scheme'

The head of the MIA suggested that the woman who arrived at the scene might have had a criminal intent to remove a military serviceman evading conscription from the location. 'This is a peculiar scheme for extracting draft dodgers. I think the woman who arrived at the scene had the goal of fraudulently taking away a person who had previously committed a crime from unauthorized abandonment of a unit (AWOL),' he stated. According to him, the MIA is processing and studying all connections of the riot participants and will give a legal assessment to whoever incited the direct participants to criminal actions.

Course of Events: From Four Servicemen to a Bus

According to the minister, four servicemen were initially led out of the premises. Subsequently, the crowd demanded the release of another 17 military personnel who were also inside the building and preparing to be sent for training. To avoid endangering them, it was decided to transport the military away by bus and leave the territory, but those present hindered the vehicle's departure and, according to the MIA's assessment, could have harmed those inside. As a result, the military were forced to get off the bus and return to the NGU location.

Position of the National Guard and Military Ombudsperson

National Guard Commander Oleksandr Pivnenko explained that injured servicemen were kept in the NGU building in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka because every unit has a medical point where people can be treated. Military Ombudsperson Olha Reshetilova added that among these servicemen there were not only mobilized troops but also fighters with combat experience who participated in the battles for Mariupol and Azovstal and survived Russian captivity.

Investigation and Legal Assessment

The minister specified that the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) will give a legal assessment of the events, while the MIA is concurrently conducting an internal investigation; according to him, a number of criminal proceedings are currently being investigated. Earlier, information had appeared on social media about the alleged confinement of '40 AWOLers' in the basement of a private house, and manipulative and unverified statements were made about the abuse of men — these versions, according to the MIA, were not confirmed.