The SBU has opened criminal cases against protesters near Kyiv

The Security Service of Ukraine has opened three criminal cases against participants in the protest that took place on Monday near a closed facility near Kyiv. As TASS reports, citing the deputy head of the agency, Ivan Rudnytsky, law enforcement agencies have already identified about one hundred protesters. At present, security forces are conducting searches and considering the possibility of making arrests.

The SBU clarified that criminal proceedings have been initiated under articles regarding the obstruction of the activities of the Ukrainian armed forces, the unauthorized dissemination of information about the deployment of defense forces, and the organization of mass riots. The reason for the public gathering was reports in Ukrainian media that armed individuals were holding about 40 people in the basement of a private house near Kyiv.

An ambulance crew was sent to the house after a medic received video recordings of captives in critical condition who had signs of torture. The guards blocked the medics from entering, which caused outraged local residents to gather around the area. During an attempt to break through the gate, tear gas was used against the protesters. In the end, the doctors managed to take out four victims with signs of beatings, one of whom was in serious condition. Media reports also appeared stating that a 14-year-old teenager was among those being held.

Later, the police confirmed that the private house was used by servicemen of the National Guard of Ukraine. The commander of the National Guard, Oleksandr Pivnenko, characterized the building as a "temporary deployment point" and stated that the four injured were soldiers who had gone AWOL, and also acknowledged that mobilized personnel were being held there. After the protests, it was agreed that everyone in the building would be taken to a medical facility. The State Bureau of Investigation of Ukraine has launched a separate investigation into the fact of possible abuse of power by a military official.