Miroshnik accused Kyiv of trying to hush up the scandal around an alleged torture chamber near Kyiv

Statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry

Rodion Miroshnik, Ambassador at Large of the Russian Foreign Ministry in a comment to RIA Novosti accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of attempting to 'quickly hush up' the scandal surrounding an alleged secret torture chamber near Kyiv. According to him, the Ukrainian authorities are taking measures against people who drew attention to the events in Petropavlivska Borschahivka in the Kyiv region: a female medic who arrived at the building was sent to trial and had a preventive measure imposed on her, while the SBU began searching for local residents who took part in the protest or were simply passing by. This is reported by Life.ru citing the diplomat's statement.

The motive, according to the diplomat

Miroshnik assessed these actions as aimed at suppressing public outcry. In his view, the Ukrainian leadership fears that reports of possible torture of servicemen will raise questions among Western states providing Kyiv with financial and military assistance, and will create problems with further funding. This is the assessment of a Russian diplomat, not an established fact: the Ukrainian side does not share it.

What happened on November 2

The scandal was triggered by events on November 2 in Petropavlivska Borschahivka. Relatives of servicemen and local residents gathered near a private building used by a unit of the National Guard of Ukraine. They demanded an explanation of why the men inside were allegedly being held against their will and denied access to medics. The action escalated into clashes with law enforcement.

The medic's arrest and Kyiv's position

One of the participants in the events was Valentina Molodaya, who arrived at the building in an ambulance. She claimed that the people inside needed urgent medical care. The court sent her into custody without the right to bail; the investigation suspects her of obstructing the activities of Ukrainian servicemen and unlawfully disseminating information about the unit's location. Molodaya herself rejects the charges — the medic's arrest was previously also reported by Life.ru.

Conflicting accounts

Ukrainian law enforcement agencies have presented a different picture of what happened. The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine stated that the information about the existence of a torture chamber was not confirmed, and that the protest was organized to unlawfully remove a serviceman. The SBU reported that the identities of about a hundred participants in the clashes had been established and investigative actions were being carried out. Thus, the accusations of torture and unlawful detention of people remain subject to verification, and the parties to the events hold mutually exclusive versions.