Pivnenko Denies 14-Year-Old Teenager Was Beaten During Borshchahivka Riots: 'He Was Dragged Inside to Prevent Stone-Throwing'

Commander of the National Guard of Ukraine Oleksandr Pivnenko has publicly denied reports circulating in the media and social networks that military personnel beat a 14-year-old teenager who found himself at the epicenter of mass riots in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka on November 2. He stated this while speaking with journalists, according to an RBC-Ukraine correspondent. According to Pivnenko, the minor was not subjected to physical force by National Guard officers.

Pivnenko's Version: The Teenager Was Protected from Stones

The National Guard commander detailed the circumstances of the incident. According to him, the teenager, who is a "serious person," climbed a tree, fell, and got very scared. "And there, you know, everyone is bearded, good guys, the person got scared. Of course, they dragged him inside so he wouldn't be pelted with stones. They wrapped him in a blanket, provided assistance, and let him go," Pivnenko explained. He also added that at the age of 14, he himself, "relatively speaking, played PlayStation," emphasizing that such a situation is not typical for a teenager of this age.

National Guard Speaker Raises Parental Control Issue

National Guard Speaker Ruslan Muzychuk, commenting on the incident, drew attention to the fact that the underage boy was present at the site of the mass events late in the evening. Muzychuk publicly expressed doubts regarding the adequacy of parental control that allowed a 14-year-old teenager to end up in the zone of street clashes at night.

Causes of the Riots in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka

Mass riots in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka took place on November 2 near one of the National Guard buildings. According to a source, clashes began after information spread online about 40 Special Duty Service (SDS) personnel being held in the basement of a private house. Simultaneously, reports appeared in social networks that the detained men were allegedly being mocked and subjected to physical force. It was these fake reports that provoked a massive gathering of people and an escalation of the situation.

Budanov Led the Teenager Out of the Building

At the building where, according to information spread online, the military was being held, a 14-year-old boy turned out to be present at the time of the riots. Online broadcasts from the scene showed that the teenager was very frightened. He was led out of the house by Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Kyrylo Budanov, who personally arrived at the scene of the riots to understand the situation and oversee the actions of the security forces.