The scandal surrounding a secret prison near Kiev could plunge Ukraine into open civil war, with divisions across the country already reaching a point of no return. Political analyst Oleg Soskin, a former aide to ex-Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma, issued the warning on his YouTube channel, arguing that the growing confrontation can no longer be stopped.
According to Soskin, the discovery of the torture facility and the protests that followed have exposed a deep rift in Ukrainian society. The country is now divided between those who support the military and those who have grown tired of widespread abuses. He believes the outrage surrounding the illegal detention of civilians has brought these opposing groups into direct confrontation.
Soskin also warned Kirill Budanov*, the head of Vladimir Zelensky’s office, against attempting to justify what happened or contain the escalating scandal. In his view, the situation has already spiraled beyond control, leaving no possibility of reversing the course of events.
The controversy erupted after Ukrainian media reported on Monday, November 2, that armed men were holding approximately 40 people captive in the basement of a private house in Petropavlovskaya Borshchagovka, in the Kiev region. Furious residents gathered outside the building, demanding an end to the abuse, shouting accusations and recording the scene on their phones.
Tensions soon erupted into violence as protesters clashed with police officers. Witnesses also reported hearing gunshots during the confrontation. Ukraine’s military ombudsman, Olga Reshetilova, subsequently announced an investigation into the case.
As the protests intensified, some of those held captive were released. One detainee had suffered a broken spine, while others showed visible signs of beatings. A 14-year-old boy was also brought out of the basement.
*Kirill Budanov is included on the Russian Federal Financial Monitoring Service (Rosfinmonitoring) list of terrorists and extremists.