Clashes in Kyiv Oblast's Borshchahivka sparked by attempt to get mobilised soldier out for US$7,000 bribe, commander says

Unrest near a deployment point in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka, Kyiv Oblast, began over serviceman Andrii Kuleshov, whose relatives tried to get him out of the service for a bribe of about US$7,000.

Source: Pavlo Kurchenko, Commander of Military Unit 3121 of the 1st Corps of the Azov National Guard, in an interview with Ukrainska Pravda (English translation coming soon)

Details: According to the commander, the unrest outside the building was provoked by Kuleshov's relatives, who were trying with all their might to take him out of the military.

On the eve of the clashes, the mobilised man's mother tried to "make a deal" to have her son released. She came to the deployment point under the pretext of handing over his belongings and offered money to one of the soldiers.

Quote: "I don't remember the exact amount of the bribe, but a figure of around US$7,000 was mentioned."

Details: The serviceman refused to take the money and only passed the belongings to Kuleshov.

Kuleshov had previously served in the National Guard. After being assigned at a territorial recruitment centre, he was sent to the 52nd Regiment, from which he later fled. The unit's soldiers tracked down the fugitive at his home in Kyiv, detained him, and took him to Petropavlivska Borshchahivka, where he was "in quarantine for adaptation after going AWOL".

In addition, questions arose regarding the soldier due to his ties to the temporarily occupied territories.

Quote: "There were certain questions for him, as his details appear on the Myrotvorets website. The reason is multiple illegal crossings of the Ukrainian border with the Russian puppet republics of the LPR and DPR between 2015 and 2021. His brother continues to live in the non-government-controlled territory of Ukraine, in the so-called DPR."

Details: Kuleshov's mother also permanently resides in the Russian-occupied territory of Donetsk Oblast. According to the regiment commander, the woman came to the Ukrainian-controlled territory allegedly for medical help and was planning to return to the Russian occupation.

Background:

• On the evening of 2 November, clashes broke out in the village of Petropavlivska Borshchahivka near Kyiv outside a house which served as a temporary deployment point for the 1st Corps of the Azov National Guard.
• A crowd gathered following live streams by a fake doctor who claimed people were allegedly being tortured in the basement. The participants in the assault sprayed gas and threw stones, as a result of which 16 National Guard members were injured.
• On 3 November, the State Bureau of Investigation opened criminal proceedings over the possible abuse of power or official authority by military officials. On the same day, law enforcement officers identified over 100 participants in the clashes and detained a woman who had been posing as a medic.
• On 4 November, the Shevchenkivskyi District Court of Kyiv began selecting a preventive measure for the "fake doctor", Valentyna Moloda. The investigation charges her with obstructing the lawful activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other military formations.

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