The key facts

  • Zelensky’s advisor Dmytro Lytvyn named TikTok as the main platform influencing the rioters
  • On the evening of November 2, mass riots took place outside a private house in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka near Kyiv
  • According to Ukrainian media and relatives, mobilized men and soldiers who had left their units without permission were held in the basement

What happened at the secret prison

Dmytro Lytvyn, an advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said that livestreams and TikTok activity played the main role in how events unfolded around the secret prison near Kyiv. “The livestreams and TikTok activity had the greatest influence on the course of events, and it is the main platform for the crowd that rioted there,” RBC-Ukraine quoted him as saying citing Gazeta.Ru. According to Lytvyn, the crowd was “incited” precisely through this platform, and anonymous Telegram channels also played their part, where, alongside messages about the “actual circumstances,” “disinformation dumps” appeared as well.

The riots of November 2

On the evening of November 2, mass riots broke out in the village of Petropavlivska Borshchahivka near Kyiv near a secret prison housed in a private house. According to Ukrainian media and relatives, people were being held unofficially in the building’s basement, including mobilized men and soldiers who had left their units without permission. Protesters tried to storm the gates, smashed law enforcement officers’ cars and chanted “Shame!” Gas was used against them, and gunshots were also heard.

The authorities’ reaction

Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, arrived at the scene, confirmed that military personnel had been in the house, and assured that there were no more hostages. Among others, a bloodied 14-year-old teenager was led out of the building. Earlier, Maria Zakharova reacted to the situation with the secret prison, but the publication does not provide details of her reaction.