Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Ihor Vyhovskyi stated during the hour of questions to the government in the Verkhovna Rada that the National Guard has completed its internal investigation into the events of November 2 in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka near Kyiv. According to him, all materials will be forwarded to the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) to be added to the criminal proceedings and to provide a legal assessment of the National Guardsmen's actions.
Official stance: 'neither hostages nor a deceased person existed'
Vyhovskyi stressed that the premises around which the incident flared up were officially used by the National Guard. The minister denied claims regarding the presence of 40 hostages and a fatality, stating that "of course, there were no 40 hostages, nor was there a deceased person there." In his assessment, police officers and guardsmen "acted professionally" and prevented any injuries, let alone fatalities, during the rally.
Number of participants and legal assessment
The minister reported that over 160 people who took part in the rally have been identified, of whom more than 20 were active participants in the unrest, and 13 have already been served notice of suspicion. He added that the smashed transport, calls to overturn a bus, and stone-throwing at law enforcement officers "will receive a proper legal assessment." The investigation, according to him, is being conducted by the National Police and the SBU as part of a joint investigative team under the procedural guidance of the prosecutor's office.
What happened on November 2
As a reminder, on November 2 in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka near Kyiv, a large-scale incident occurred near a National Guard military unit. People gathered at the site claimed that military personnel who had gone AWOL (absent without leave) were allegedly being tortured in the building's basements, after which the situation escalated into pushing and scuffles that lasted until nightfall. The official version voiced in the Parliament does not confirm these allegations.
Pre-trial detention measures for participants
Earlier, a court chose pre-trial detention in custody for Valentyna Molodiy, who was called one of the main participants in the unrest. Viktor Yena, who according to the investigation is an ambulance driver and arrived at the military facility alongside Molodiy on November 2, was also sent to custody for two months without the right to post bail. Previously, police and the SBU identified 130 people who may be involved in the riots.
