Kyiv court orders 60-day detention for ambulance driver linked to clashes outside National Guard facility
A Kyiv court ordered ambulance driver Viktor Yena to remain in custody for 60 days without the option of bail in the case involving clashes outside a temporary National Guard deployment point in Petro-Pavlivska Borshchahivka. Yena denies knowing the site was military or participating in organizing the unrest; prosecutors portray him as a co-perpetrator. Valyna Moloda and Tetiana Kirieieva were already ordered held for two months without bail.
Key points
- The order placing Viktor Yena in custody for 60 days without bail was issued on November 5 and runs through January 3, 2027.
- Yena testified that he was only a witness and did not know the building in Petro-Pavlivska Borshchahivka was a military facility.
- Prosecutors allege that Yena and Moloda prepared medical clothing and an emergency vehicle, scouted the facility and helped distribute its location.
- Moloda and Kirieieva were ordered held for two months without bail on November 4.
- The three suspects face allegations of obstructing the lawful activities of Ukraine’s armed forces, disclosing military locations and organizing mass unrest.
- Claims that about 40 people were being detained, tortured and that one had died were not confirmed.
- Police and the Security Service of Ukraine identified 130 people who may have been involved; 27 allegedly took part actively in unlawful actions and 24 behaved aggressively or provoked conflict.
Why it matters
The custody decision advances a criminal case concerning the disclosure of military locations and alleged organization of mass disorder around a National Guard facility. It also highlights how unverified social media claims and false medical representations can trigger a confrontation involving soldiers, police and civilians.
What happened
On November 2, Valyna Moloda and Viktor Yena arrived at a building on Soniachna Street in Petro-Pavlivska Borshchahivka in a vehicle marked as an ambulance. Moloda wore medical clothing and recorded a video saying soldiers were inside and she had been denied access. The footage and subsequent online posts helped gather roughly 100 people and led to clashes. The crowd damaged fences, gates, windows, a National Guard bus and police vehicles; some participants threw stones, smoke bombs and pyrotechnic devices, and police used tear gas.
The building was a temporary deployment point for a National Guard military unit. Mobilized personnel were processed there before being sent to training centers, while four servicemembers who had left their units without authorization were returned to the units and hospitalized. Claims of about 40 hostages, torture and a death were not substantiated.
Moloda, Kirieieva and Yena became suspects in the criminal proceedings. On November 4, the Solomianskyi District Court ordered Moloda and Kirieieva held for two months without bail. On November 5, the court ordered Yena held for 60 days without bail. Prosecutors cited risks that he could go into hiding, destroy or distort evidence, influence witnesses or commit similar offenses. His lawyers requested a softer measure, citing his status as a combatant, third-group disability and circumstances as the sole son supporting his mother. The order can be challenged within five days.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian reporting has focused on the court decisions against Yena, Moloda and Kirieieva and their statements in court. It also examines the prosecution’s case concerning the prior arrangement, preparation of medical equipment, reconnaissance of the facility, a Telegram group and the distribution of information about the military site. Particular attention has been paid to Yena’s unverified medical qualifications, the inactive company and ambulance, and the National Guard unit’s actual function at the property.
Where reporting differs
Yena denies organizing the unrest or knowing the site was military, describing himself as a witness. Prosecutors characterize him as Moloda’s co-perpetrator and say he scouted the facility and helped prepare the medical disguise and vehicle. Moloda also denies gathering people or inciting the crowd and says she assisted four injured men. According to investigators, however, she called people to the building, while she and Kirieieva had previously agreed to act together to obstruct the military unit and assist servicemembers in leaving their posts without authorization.
Background
The building on Soniachna Street was lawfully rented by the National Guard and used as a temporary deployment point through which mobilized personnel were directed to training centers. Moloda presented herself as the owner of the Med-Prestizh medical company and a medical worker, while Yena presented himself as an ambulance driver. Med-Prestizh had ceased operating in 2023, and the ambulance used at the scene had been sold in 2024. Journalists found no confirmation that Yena had medical education.