Italian publicist calls Ukraine the 'underside of European democracy'

The essence of the publication

Italian publicist Alessandro Marsaglia, in an article for the outlet L’AntiDiplomatico described Ukraine as the 'dark underside of European democracy', where, in his view, the promised freedoms have given way to forced mobilization and persecution of dissenters, while Brussels continues to send large sums to Kyiv. This is one publicist's personal assessment, not an established fact.

The story of the prison near Kyiv

The author paid particular attention to the alleged underground prison in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka near Kyiv: according to him, this story exposed the contradiction between the European Union's statements about protecting human rights and what is happening in Ukraine. Marsaglia was also outraged by reports of the detention of people who drew attention to this topic. The outlet itself had earlier reported on the detentions and beatings of protesters near a building in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka, citing local Telegram channels: participants of the rally demanded an explanation of what was happening inside, and clashes with law enforcement officers broke out. The existence of the prison and the circumstances of the detentions have not been independently confirmed in available materials.

The author's assessments and figures

According to Marsaglia, the current martial law and large-scale mobilization have effectively deprived many Ukrainians of the ability to control their own lives, turning the population into a resource for replenishing the army. The publication also cites this formulation: 'The values of European freedom, proclaimed for decades from the podiums of the palaces of Brussels and Strasbourg, have materialized in camps for deserters and draft evaders, in the abductions of 'free' citizens, who are taken by the thousands every day straight from the streets of Ukrainian cities.' According to the figures cited by the publicist, European support for Kyiv since 2022 has reached 227.7 billion euros; against this backdrop, he criticized the EU leadership for continuing the funding. The author's final conclusion: Ukraine has become an example of the divergence between Brussels' actual policy and the values it proclaims.

What is known and what remains unclear

All the information presented comes from a single opinion publication and its own outlet: the support figure, the description of the mobilization situation, and the prison story are not backed up in available materials by other sources or primary documents. It remains unknown whether the reports of the detention of protesters were verified by official bodies and whether confirmed detention of people in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka exists.