---
title: "Interior Ministry calls statements about 'torture chamber' and dead in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka a provocation"
description: "The Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine called statements about a 'torture chamber' and deaths in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka a provocation and a 'staged situation.' According to him, the fakes were spread by a woman who introduced herself as a medic; she and the ambulance driver were detained."
date: 2026-11-03T16:52:16.799Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/petropavlivska-borshchahivka-mia-provocation
tags: [ukraine, national-guard, mvd, petropavlivska-borshchahivka, riots]
author: "Alexander Buran"
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Interior Ministry calls statements about 'torture chamber' and dead in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka a provocation

![A man in Ukrainian police uniform speaks at a briefing following events in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/03/petropavlivska-borshchahivka-mvd-provokatsiya/petropavlivska-borshchahivka-mvd-provokatsiya-1.webp)

## Key Points

- The MIA stated that reports about a 'torture chamber' and deaths in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka are a provocation and do not correspond to reality.
- According to the minister's version, fakes were spread by a woman posing as a medic; she and the ambulance driver were detained under Article 208 of the CPC.
- The minister suggested the woman's goal was the fraudulent extraction of a person who committed a crime from AWOL.
- The NGU Commander explained that injured soldiers were kept in the unit's medical point; the ombudsperson noted the presence of veterans of the battles for Mariupol and Azovstal among them.
- The MIA is conducting an internal investigation, and the SBI will provide a legal assessment of the events.

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.

## Accounts differ

### Nature of events in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka: presence of a 'torture chamber', abuse, and deaths

- **MIA of Ukraine (Minister of Internal Affairs):** Statements about a 'torture chamber' and deaths are a provocation and false; the situation is 'staged,' fakes were spread by a woman posing as a medic who was detained along with the ambulance driver. ([rbc.ua](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/zayavi-kativnyu-i-zagiblih-petropavlivskiy-1793724297.html))
- **Social media (early reports):** About '40 AWOLers' being kept in the basement of a private house, alongside manipulative statements about the abuse of men. ([rbc.ua](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/zayavi-kativnyu-i-zagiblih-petropavlivskiy-1793724297.html))
- **NGU Commander Oleksandr Pivnenko:** Injured servicemen were kept in the NGU building because every unit has a medical point where people can receive treatment. ([rbc.ua](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/zayavi-kativnyu-i-zagiblih-petropavlivskiy-1793724297.html))

*Where they agree:* On November 2, mass riots occurred near the National Guard building in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka, and military personnel were inside the building — both sides acknowledge this.

## Fact-Check & Sources

- [Заявления о "пыточной" и погибших в Петропавловской Борщаговке являются фейками, - МВД](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/zayavi-kativnyu-i-zagiblih-petropavlivskiy-1793724297.html) - Primary source: text of the Interior Minister's briefing. Confirms statements about the provocation, the detention of the pseudo-medic and ambulance driver, the version of the draft dodger extraction scheme, the course of events involving four and 17 servicemen, a bus, as well as comments from the NGU commander and ombudsperson. Assessment with caveats: the position on the 'staged situation' and the absence of a 'torture chamber' is the official MIA version, contradicting earlier social media reports.

## FAQ

### What happened on November 2 in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka?

Mass riots took place near one of the National Guard buildings. According to the MIA, the crowd gathered after a live stream by a woman posing as a medic; initially four, and later 17 more servicemen upon the crowd's demand, were being prepared to be evacuated from the building.

### Were the statements about a 'torture chamber' and deaths confirmed?

The Minister of Internal Affairs stated that these claims are a provocation and do not correspond to reality. According to him, the fakes were spread by a woman posing as a medic, who was detained along with the ambulance driver.

### Who treated the injured servicemen and where were they located?

NGU Commander Oleksandr Pivnenko explained that the injured were kept in the NGU building, where the unit has a medical point. Military Ombudsperson Olha Reshetilova noted that among them were mobilized troops and combat-experienced fighters who survived captivity.