A Fake "Medical Worker" in a Fake "Torture Chamber": What Happened in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka

On the evening of November 2, 2026, in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka in the Kyiv region, mass clashes broke out near a building where members of the Ukrainian National Guard were stationed . Prior to this, reports had circulated on social media alleging the unlawful detention of soldiers, torture, and even a fatality.

Law enforcement officials later refuted the claims regarding hostages and a fatality, explaining that the building served as a temporary deployment site for a National Guard unit. Thus, it became clear that this was a provocation, not “the exposure of a torture chamber by concerned citizens led by a brave female medic.”

Nevertheless, the unrest could not be avoided. About a hundred aggressive people gathered near the building. Part of the crowd tried to get inside, throwing rocks and eggs, and using pepper spray, smoke grenades, and firecrackers. Journalists were also attacked, and law enforcement vehicles were damaged, among other incidents. Several people were injured as a result of the clashes.

The situation was only brought under control after the arrival at the scene of National Guard Commander Pivnenko, Head of the President’s Office Budanov, and, most importantly, veterans.

Now, the National Guard, the State Bureau of Investigation, the prosecutor’s office, and the Office of the Military Ombudsman have begun investigating the circumstances of the incident. The head of the Office of the President, Kirill Budanov, stated that there may have been outside influence on the events and later reported the detention of a woman who was the first to arrive at the house in a fake “ambulance” and posed simultaneously as a “medical worker” and a “journalist.” What is known about the incident and which theories are being investigated – read more in this report from 24 Channel.

What is known about the soldiers who were in the house in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka

Oleksandr Pivnenko, Commander of the National Guard of Ukraine, stated that the house served as a temporary staging area where mobilized personnel underwent paperwork processing and security checks before being sent to a training center:

This building was a temporary staging area for a National Guard unit, where servicemen mobilized through the Territorial Mobilization Center arrived to have their paperwork processed and undergo security checks, and then, in accordance with established procedures, are sent off when openings arise, because the training center operates in platoons, companies, and battalions, and we cannot send them one by one. A unit is formed, and we send them to the training center for 58 days,” General Pivnenko noted.

According to Pivnenko, the National Guard rents the premises because there are no funds to build separate deployment sites.

24 Channel determined that this building was formerly owned by the now-nationalized bank of Russian oligarch Friedman; the state attempted to sell it at auction but found no buyers.

The commander confirmed that the four servicemen detained after deserting their unit had sustained injuries and required medical attention. They were transported to the National Guard’s medical center. At the same time, National Guard press officer Ruslan Muzychuk denied reports of a soldier with a broken spine: all four made it to the ambulance on their own.

Alarming news about serious injuries was circulating on social media (particularly on TikTok), and at the scene, a “female medic” was the one screaming the loudest – in various poses – about a “torture chamber.” It didn’t take long to identify this woman. Her name is Valentina Moloda. Read on to the end to learn the details about her motives and her involvement in previous provocations.

General Pivnenko promised to investigate whether there were any violations by military personnel and to identify those responsible.

Military Ombudswoman Olga Reshetilova reported that the building also housed soldiers who had defended Mariupol and “Azovstal,” had been held captive by the Russians, and had returned to duty. The Military Ombudsman’s Office is investigating their living conditions and the organization of their service. According to Reshetilova, all the soldiers are safe and receiving medical care.

It later emerged that there were 26 people there in the building, and four of them received medical care. No force was used against the protesters, although the law enforcement officers themselves were injured – they were pelted with rocks and eggs. So far, 16 active participants in the riots have been identified for a legal assessment of their actions.

Clash in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka / 24 Channel

Where did the rumors of torture come from, and who might have influenced the clashes?

The escalation of the situation was preceded by reports on Telegram channels and TikTok livestreams alleging the torture of military personnel, serious injuries, and the death of a person. Some of those present came to the house to allegedly free those who, according to these reports, had been illegally mobilized and were being held there.

24 Channel anchor Inna Nabok, who was at the scene from 7:35 p.m. to approximately 11:10 p.m., drew attention to a woman in a medic’s uniform who claimed that the soldiers were in critical condition and that doctors were being denied access to them. According to the journalist, such statements could have contributed to the escalation of the situation.

The woman in the medical uniform is Valentina Moloda / photo by “Slidstvo.Info”

I don’t have any direct evidence that this was a provocation. But it looks like it,”
– the 24 Channel journalist said during the broadcast.

Nabok also spoke about a 14-year-old teenager, who was later carried out of the building in a thermal blanket. According to her observations, the young man was climbing over the fence while behaving aggressively and swearing in Russian. He wasn’t able to do all of this at once, so he lost his balance and fell over the fence. Later, the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Kirill Budanov, spoke with him and called his sister so she could pick up the teenager. It was then revealed that he was 14 years old.

What he was doing there and why he was climbing the fence remains unknown, but Russian propaganda tried to portray him as a victim and a new “boy in his underwear” (this is one of the most famous Russian hoaxes about “victims of the Nazis”). Interestingly, this story was immediately picked up by a pro-Russian politician from Germany – Alice Weidel, the leader of the far-right AfD party.

Weidel’s post about the events near Kyiv may indicate coordinated actions and an information attack against Ukraine / Screenshot

On November 3, commenting on the events, Kirill Budanov stated that they did not occur without outside influence, and that law enforcement must identify the organizers.

The specific individuals and instigators of these events will certainly be identified and punished, just as conclusions will be drawn within the law enforcement agencies. The Prosecutor General’s Office and the relevant authorities have already launched an objective investigation, 
Budanov emphasized.

The Head of the Office of the President also noted that due to the crowd’s actions, people who needed medical assistance were unable to reach the hospital in time.

The Military’s Response

Following the incident, the 1st Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine “Azov” issued an official statement . They confirmed that the building served as a temporary deployment site for Military Unit 3121. The corps emphasized that it cares for all service members regardless of the length of their service.

For the command of the 1st Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine “Azov,” the personnel are its greatest asset. “Azov” protects the lives and health of its servicemembers under extremely difficult conditions on the front lines. The unit adheres to the same principles behind the lines as well, 
the statement reads.

At the same time, the command promised to punish those responsible if an investigation confirms acts of unlawful violence against service members.

Corps Commander Denys Prokopenko believes that such actions could discredit the Ukrainian military and play into Russia’s hands.

People who have absolutely nothing to do with defending the country, who do not serve in the military and do not assist the Defense Forces, are engaging in sabotage behind the lines, discrediting the Ukrainian military and creating a narrative that benefits Russia, 
he said.

Kirill Budanov also called for respect for the military and for people to remember their role in preservation of the state.

No one has the right to act recklessly. Each of us must remember: the main pillar of Ukraine’s existence right now is our Defense Forces. Let’s respect their daily heroism and be responsible in our decisions, – he said.

How eyewitnesses reacted to the crowd’s behavior

Inna Nabok said that there were many teenagers among those present, some of whom, according to her observations, were intoxicated. She saw people throwing rocks and eggs, damaging law enforcement vehicles, and trying to break through into the area.

The actions and behavior of these young men could be described using a term from a bygone era – “titushki.” It’s also worth noting that they were well-organized, and “someone” had taken care of their logistics and purchased eggs for them – which are quite expensive these days.

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist Marian Kushnir, who was also covering the events, reported on the aggression directed at National Guard troops, police officers, and “Azov” fighters. According to him, the soldiers were doused with liquids, insulted, pelted with eggs, and spat upon. He was particularly struck by the treatment of fighters who had survived Russian captivity.

“I spend a lot of time on the front lines and have met many Azov fighters there who have gone through a hell we couldn’t even imagine. And they were on the receiving end of curses,” 
” the journalist noted.

He hopes that the investigation will identify those who stirred up tensions among those present and contributed to the escalation of the situation.

Interior Minister Ivan Vyhovsky announced an internal investigation into the incident involving National Guard troops in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka. Representatives of the State Bureau of Investigation and the Military Ombudsman have been brought in to clarify all the circumstances of the incident in the Kyiv region. The minister also urged the public not to spread false rumors or engage in unlawful actions.

What is known about the detention of the woman who arrived in an ambulance

Valentina Moloda attracted particular attention; she identified herself as the owner of the private ambulance service “Medprestizh” and spoke about the alleged unlawful detention of the soldiers.

Boris Breus, head of the Kyiv Regional Police’s Preventive Activities Department, reported that the woman identified herself as the company’s owner. At the same time, journalists from “Slidstvo.Info” determined that Moloda is the owner of a plastic and cosmetic surgery clinic.

According to the journalists, “Medprestizh” ceased operations in 2023, and the ambulance was sold in 2024. The company’s former owner, Mykhailo Furman, stated that the buyers were supposed to remove the branding and had no right to present themselves as the owners of the service. Moloda herself dismissed the information about the sale of the vehicle as rumors.

Later, Kirill Budanov reported that the woman who was the first to arrive by ambulance at the house in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka had been detained. This is likely a reference to Valentina Moloda.

The woman wore a medical uniform and had purchased the ambulance in advance. Together with the driver, she conducted a reconnaissance of the site at least three days before the incident, 
Budanov stated.

In addition, the detainee was found to have been communicating with Telegram channels that later widely disseminated information about the events near the military town. Investigators are still determining her motives: possible explanations include personal motives, a desire to attract attention, or financial gain.

Budanov also reported that people who genuinely needed medical care are in the hospital, while most of the soldiers in the building did not require it.

The National Guard command decided to urgently relocate the soldiers, as its location could have become known to the Russians following the publicity.

Final conclusions regarding the conditions of the soldiers’ stay and the reasons for the escalation of the situation in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka are expected to be released after the inspections and investigation are completed.