The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has identified about 100 individuals who, according to the agency, were present at the scene of mass riots in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka and actively participated in their organization. This was stated at a briefing by Deputy Head of the SBU Ivan Rudnytskyi, as reported by RBC-Ukraine's correspondent. According to him, searches are already underway regarding certain individuals, and the issue of their detention and formal notification of suspicion is at the decision stage.
Three Criminal Proceedings in the Case
Rudnytskyi clarified that the SBU has opened criminal proceedings under Article 114-2.1 of the Criminal Code — obstruction of the lawful activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In addition, a second proceeding has been initiated under Article 114-2.2, which provides for liability for unauthorized dissemination of information regarding the location of SBU facilities. The third proceeding — under Article 114 (mass riots), previously investigated by the National Police bodies — was merged with the first two by a prosecutor's decision. Thus, all three cases have been combined into a single investigation.
Chronology of the Incident: November 2
The events that became the subject of the investigation took place on the evening of November 2. Local residents of Petropavlivska Borshchahivka gathered near a private house after reports appeared on social media that men who had unauthorizedly left military units might be kept in the basement of the building. National Guard Commander Oleksandr Pivnenko later confirmed that National Guard servicemen were indeed in the house, having been discovered after leaving their place of service without authorization. Following the incident, an internal investigation was ordered in the National Guard, and those responsible will be held accountable, the agency stated.
Official Reactions
The incident caused widespread resonance among government officials and law enforcement agencies. Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets demanded an investigation into all circumstances of the incident and publicly condemned any attacks on servicemen in the rear. The State Bureau of Investigation opened its own criminal proceeding over the incident. Operational Command Head Kyrylo Budanov stated that outsiders unrelated to the local population were involved in the riots. Later, he reported the detention of a woman who, according to his data, was the first to arrive at the house in an ambulance and conducted preliminary reconnaissance of the facility.
What Next: Detentions and Suspicions
As of November 3, as follows from Rudnytskyi's statement, the phase of identifying the participants is nearing completion: about 100 people have been identified. The next stage, according to SBU information, will be detentions and formal notification of suspicion. Combining the three criminal proceedings into one allows for a comprehensive investigation of the case — from the organizational component (Art. 114) to specific episodes of obstructing military activities and leaking data on the location of special services. The results of the internal inspection in the National Guard, as well as the work of the SBI and the prosecutor's office on the combined proceedings, are expected in the coming days.
