There was tension in the Kiev region of Ukraine over allegations that soldiers were illegally detained and beaten. The crowd gathered in front of a military building in the Petropavlivska Borshchahivka settlement and demanded the release of the soldiers who were allegedly mistreated inside. While a fight broke out between the demonstrators and the security forces, the authorities who arrived at the scene launched an investigation into the allegations. Four soldiers injured in the building were taken to hospital. It was also revealed that a 14-year-old child was at the facility. Authorities denied the claims spread on social media that 40 people were held hostage and one person died.
It was claimed that on the night of November 2, dozens of soldiers were illegally held and beaten in the basement of the building under the control of the Azov Corps of the National Guard in Kiev's Petropavlivska Borshchahivka village.
Police and medical teams were dispatched to the region upon allegations that some soldiers were seriously injured.
HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE GATHERED IN FRONT OF THE BUILDING
As allegations spread that soldiers were forcibly held inside, the crowd in front of the building grew. The demonstrators demanded the release of those allegedly inside. In the first hours, the police denied allegations of illegal detention and announced that a military unit of the National Guard was in the building.
However, a doctor and a police officer were later allowed into the building. According to the information provided by the health official, there were approximately 30 people inside. Four injured soldiers were taken out of the building and taken to hospital. It was reported that one of the soldiers who was taken to the hospital had a broken spine, and the others had many bruises.
According to news in the Ukrainian media and claims on social media, as tension escalated in the evening, some demonstrators tried to enter the building.
IT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT IT WAS THE AZOV COORDINATION CENTER
In its statement following the events, the 1st Azov Corps of the Ukrainian National Guard confirmed that the building was the temporary deployment point of their military unit number 3121.
The Corps reported that there were soldiers recruited within the scope of mobilization in the building, as well as personnel waiting to be reassigned after leaving their units without permission. In the statement, it was stated that four soldiers were injured and sent to the hospital for a health check.
The Corps argued that information that the soldiers were illegally detained and tortured had not yet been verified. "The National Guard Command has taken over the investigation into the situation, in cooperation with law enforcement. If it is proven that any illegal acts of violence took place on military base territory, those responsible will face appropriate punishment," the statement said. expressions were used.
Commander of the Ukrainian National Guard Oleksandr Pivnenko also came to the scene and investigated. Pivnenko said that the building was used as a temporary accommodation area for soldiers who were processed before being sent to the training center. Stating that the four hospitalized soldiers were detained after leaving their unit without permission, Pivnenko announced that an administrative investigation was launched into the incident.
The 14-year-old boy who was taken out of the building was one of the notable headlines of the investigation. While some eyewitnesses claimed that the child was in a bad condition, allegations that he was forcibly taken to the building and exposed to violence were also shared on social media. However, these claims have not been confirmed yet.
The boy met with the authorities and said that he came to the building with his friends. Details of how the child entered the military facility are not yet clear.
Head of the Ukrainian Presidential Office Kirill Budanov also came to the scene and inspected the building. "I came here to understand what's going on," Budanov said. he said. Budanov helped communicate with the child's family and ensured that the necessary arrangements were made for his relatives to come and pick him up.
POLICE DENIED HOSTAGE AND DEATH CLAIMS
Kyiv regional police announced that the allegations of illegal detention and death do not reflect the truth. Ukrainian National Guard also reported that there was no death in the incident.
Budanov also stated that there were no hostages in the building and called for the crowd to disperse.
Budanov described what happened as unacceptable and said that similar facilities could be found elsewhere. Stating that the incident damaged the unity of Ukrainians, Budanov announced that the allegations would be investigated.
A Ukrainian media outlet also included the statements of a soldier who stated that he had previously been held in a similar place.
The soldier in question claimed that people who were alleged to have committed a crime or left their unit without permission were beaten and tortured in such places. The soldier claimed that these people were later sent to penal battalions and assigned to the most dangerous areas of the front.
Authorities stated that they will investigate what happened in the building and the allegations of torture, and that if it is determined that illegal violence was used as a result of the investigation, action will be taken against those responsible.
