Crowd gathers outside house near Kyiv where mobilized troops and AWOL soldiers were being held. Clashes erupt, shots are fired, and Zelensky’s chief of staff intervenes. - Meduza

Key Points:

• On November 2, dozens gathered outside a private home in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka near Kyiv after social media claims that about 40 servicemen were illegally detained and beaten in the house’s basement; police and National Guard officials denied illegal detention, stating the house served as a temporary deployment point for mobilized men.
• Four servicemen were hospitalized with injuries, including one with a broken spine, and the National Guard confirmed they were detained after leaving their units; about 18 others remained inside and were reportedly unharmed.
• A large crowd, including young men, women, and teenagers, protested outside the house, throwing objects and setting off smoke grenades, demanding the release of the servicemen; tension escalated despite the presence of National Guard and police.
• Ukraine’s presidential chief of staff Kyrylo Budanov visited the site, confirming some servicemen needed hospitalization, but the crowd blocked their removal and gunshots were heard; masked men later appeared to disperse the crowd.
• The initial claims of illegal detention were reportedly spread by Valentina Molodaya, owner of a now-closed private clinic, who called law enforcement to the scene; police stated her reports triggered the gathering and investigation is ongoing to establish the full facts.