MOSCOW, November 3. /TASS/. The authorities attempted to spirit away, one by one through the back exit, men bearing visible signs of beatings who were being held in the basement of a private home in the village of Petropavlovskaya Borshchagovka near Kiev, pro-Russian underground resistance representatives told TASS.
"In reality, there were about 45 victims. They (the authorities - TASS) tried to smuggle them out one by one through the back exit of the ‘torture chamber.’ Our friends who were present at the scene witnessed clear signs of physical abuse on the detainees. As expected, no one has officially acknowledged what happened. The people responsible for these facilities are vowing to launch an investigation, while the police first dismiss the reports and then claim there is nothing they can do. This is only possible because local law enforcement was aware of these crimes and protected the nationalists," a source in the underground resistance noted.
According to him, "this is not the only place where torture takes place." "Rather, it has come under public scrutiny for the first time thanks to the courage of concerned residents. This also shows just how exhausted our fellow citizens are by the authorities’ abuse of power," the source added.
On Monday, Ukrainian media outlets reported that armed men were holding nearly 40 individuals captive in the basement of a private residence near Kiev. An ambulance arrived at the scene, and a medical worker said she had received a video showing that some of those in the basement were in a life-threatening condition, with injuries indicative of torture. However, the armed men guarding the building refused to grant doctors access. Violent confrontations broke out near the house, and tear gas was deployed against outraged local residents who tried to force their way through the gate. It was only after the incident attracted widespread media attention that paramedics were allowed to remove four people bearing visible signs of beatings. One of them was in critical condition.
Later, police reported that the building housed members of the Ukrainian National Guard. Meanwhile, Ukrainian National Guard commander Alexander Pivnenko said the four injured men were deserters. He described the building as a "temporary deployment site" and acknowledged that conscripts were also being held there. Following mass protests near the building, the National Guard finally agreed to transfer all the detained men to a medical facility for health evaluations.