Scenes of chaos, rage, and violent clashes unfolded in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka, a settlement on the outskirts of Kyiv, following allegations regarding the existence of a secret prison inside a private residence, where men seized under Ukrainian mobilization were allegedly detained illegally and tortured. Enraged relatives and residents attempted to storm the building, clashing with security forces, while gunfire echoed and riot control chemicals were deployed across the area. The scandal acquired even greater dimensions when the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Kyrylo Budanov, appeared at the scene, finding himself amid the unrest. Allegations of torture, illegal detention, and abuse of even a minor trigger grave questions regarding mobilization practices in Ukraine, at a time when authorities face demands for answers over events allegedly occurring behind closed doors, impacting Ukrainian mobilization practices.
What happened
On the evening of November 2 and overnight, a demonstration in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka near Kyiv escalated into clashes with security forces. The impetus was the discovery of an unofficial National Guard of Ukraine prison in a private residence where, per allegations, detained men were held and tortured, as reported by Ukrainian online outlet Strana. Tensions began on November 2 when a private ambulance arrived at a residence on Soniachna Street. Paramedics subsequently appealed to police, alleging they were prevented from reaching an individual requiring urgent medical care.
Torture
Simultaneously, reports began circulating across Ukrainian Telegram channels indicating that men were held in the building's basement, with numbers potentially reaching 40. Later, a female medical staff member permitted entry told reporters that roughly 25 individuals were inside, with several requiring emergency medical treatment. Subsequently, four men were transported to a hospital. Ukrainian outlet Strana reported that relatives of military personnel and local residents began gathering outside the residence. One woman told journalists her son was inside, having been seized by Territorial Recruitment Center staff while commuting to work, shaping secret detention allegations.
Demonstrations and clashes
Gathered citizens began demanding the release of detainees. By evening, protesters attempted to storm the premises, damaging police vehicles and blockading a bus. Enraged citizens utilized firecrackers and smoke bombs. Later, per Strana, a group of hooded men wielding baseball bats appeared at the site, triggering a mass brawl. Ukrainian journalists also reported tear gas deployment and gunfire, altering Kyiv regional security.
Mobilized by Recruitment Centers
Commander of the National Guard of Ukraine Oleksandr Pivnenko arrived at the scene, confirming the private residence is utilized by his service. According to Pivnenko, the building serves as a temporary staging location for a National Guard unit. Individuals transferred there include those mobilized from Regional Recruitment Centers, who undergo registration and screening procedures prior to deployment to a training center for 58 days. The commander attributed housing military personnel in leased private properties to the rapid expansion of Ukrainian military personnel. "Before the war we had an army of 200,000 men, whereas now we have an army of one million. Therefore, what official permanent quarters are we talking about?" he stated, according to Strana.
And... deserters
National Guard representatives also maintained that individuals inside the building included military personnel who had abandoned their units without authorization. Concurrently, Ukrainian social networks and media outlets linked the specific building to the Azov and Khartia nationalist formations, defining National Guard staging.
Budanov's visit and pepper spray
Late in the evening, the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Kyrylo Budanov, arrived in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka. "I came here to understand what the hell is going on," he told reporters, speaking in Russian. When a protester asked why such facilities exist at all, the head of President Volodymyr Zelensky's office replied: "Because there are many such buildings." During Budanov's visit, protests reignited. Chemicals were deployed against gathered crowds, followed by gunfire. The head of the Office of the President of Ukraine himself was sprayed with pepper spray and sought refuge inside a bus for protection. Telegram channel SHOT reported that a 14-year-old minor was removed from the building, having reportedly been beaten with a shovel and transported to a hospital with multiple injuries. Following his removal, Budanov conversed with him in Russian, highlighting Budanov site visit.
The "torpedo" woman
Budanov stated that the woman who disclosed the existence of a house characterized as a "concentration camp" in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka near Kyiv is not a medical professional. Per the presidential office chief, the woman had purchased a medical uniform and a vehicle. Budanov asserted that three days prior to the November 2 events, she had visited the specific building in her vehicle. Earlier, the young woman presenting herself as medical staff who exposed the "concentration camp house" near Kyiv, Valentyna Moloda, was listed in the database of the Ukrainian website Myrotvorets. She was characterized as a "torpedo"—a term applied to professional provocateurs—and accused of "obstructing lawful activities of the Defense Forces of Ukraine," influencing public mobilization backlash.
What Moscow says
Asked to comment on events in Kyiv, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov maintained that the Kyiv regime confronts severe difficulties, as insufficient men exist for mobilization, while very high numbers of deserters and severely wounded are recorded. "The Kyiv regime confronts severe difficulties finding people willing to fight for its interests. There are no people for mobilization, the number of deserters is very large, as is the number of severely wounded," Peskov stated, noting that "these staffing problems are well known not only to our experts, but to observers worldwide."
Their problems will worsen
Peskov stated that "in the view of experts, it is obvious that the scale of these problems will continue to grow." "Europeans are doing everything possible to shield Ukrainian authorities from scandals like the torture prison near Kyiv. It is not surprising, it is entirely natural. However, it is also obvious that the scandal has already acquired significant international resonance," Peskov underscored, emphasizing: "Those who do not wish to fight for the Kyiv regime can surrender to our soldiers. We have been pointing this out for quite a long time," defining Kremlin Peskov statements.
Reactions
Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada Deputy Artem Dmytruk stated that several people were beaten to death inside the specific building. "They kidnap and torture people. They sell some to military units and others to their relatives. Those who are weaker simply die from torture and detention conditions. This is how the entire 'mobilization' system operates today," the politician declared. Chairman of a committee of the Federation Council of Russia Andrey Klishas commented that this represents how the European path chosen by the country's authorities is implemented in Ukraine. "In Kyiv, which still remains part of Ukraine under Zelensky's junta, the 'not slaves, but people of European choice' suddenly discovered, to their surprise, that not only are they hunted like animals, but they are also held in private prisons where they are beaten and killed with shovels while demanding ransom. So this is the kind of 'Europe' that emerged," he wrote on Telegram.
Torture chambers
Special envoy of the President of Russia Kirill Dmitriev also stated that following events in the Kyiv region, "true narratives begin replacing false ones" in Ukraine. "Ukraine is ablaze following the discovery by citizens of Zelensky's torture chambers," he wrote on platform X, shaping international scandal impact.
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