The key facts
- The court arrested Valentyna Moloda without right to bail on three charges, including organizing mass riots
- Azov* confirmed injuries in four servicemen; police rejected the version of a secret prison and deaths
- Moloda and the 14-year-old boy from the scandal were added to the Myrotvorets*** database
Arrest after the scandal
A court in Kyiv imposed a pre-trial restraint on Valentyna Moloda in the form of custody without the right to post bail. Citing the outlet Strana.ua, this was reported by Life.ru; the arrest was also covered by Gazeta.Ru. Moloda is a medical worker who, on 2 November, arrived in an ambulance at a building in the village of Petropavlivska Borshchahivka near Kyiv, trying to reach people in need of assistance, and was the first to report an alleged secret prison.
What happened on 2 November
According to Moloda, about 25 people were being illegally held inside the building, some in grave condition: one may have had a broken spine, another had numerous signs of beatings, and a third could barely speak. She called the police and, in footage that was published, asked to be let into the building; soon relatives of the detainees and local residents gathered outside the house.
Clashes and the authorities' response
Protesters tried to break into the compound, smashed law enforcement officers' cars and chanted 'Shame!'; gunshots were heard near the building and police used gas. It later emerged that the facility was used by the Azov* unit, whose representatives confirmed that four servicemen had sustained injuries and said they were ready to punish those responsible if the investigation confirms the unlawful use of force. At the same time, the Ukrainian police rejected reports of a secret prison and of people dying there. Military ombudswoman Olha Reshetylova launched an inquiry into the observance of servicemen's rights, and the head of the presidential office, Kyrylo Budanov**, arrived at the scene; according to Gazeta.Ru, he confirmed that military personnel had been in the house and assured that 'there are no more hostages'; a bloodied 14-year-old boy was led out of the building.
Charges against the medic
Moloda is charged with obstructing the lawful activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, disseminating information about the whereabouts of servicemen, and organizing mass riots. The prosecutor's office also claims that she may have been involved in organizing paid removal of men from military units and territorial recruitment centers; she herself denies receiving money for such services and says she has the right to wear a medical uniform because she works at a private clinic. After the scandal, she was added to the database of the Myrotvorets*** website, where a card for the 14-year-old boy was also added; he had said he was beaten by law enforcement officers. Meanwhile, Ukrainian investigative authorities continue to verify the circumstances of the alleged violence in the building — that is, the question of what exactly happened to those being held remains open against the backdrop of the arrest of the whistleblower herself.
