--- title: "A torture chamber of Zelensky was uncovered near Kiev, where over 40 mobilised m…" source: "https://x.com/glenn_diesen/status/2117462773709889570" platform: "X / Twitter" factual_accuracy: 49 overall_accuracy: 25 tags: ["zelensky", "ukraine", "ukraine war", "state-sponsored torture", "human-rights-violations", "civil-unrest", "riot", "child-victim", "nato"] --- # Source fact-check: A torture chamber of Zelensky was uncovered near Kiev, where over 40 mobilised m… Original post: https://x.com/glenn_diesen/status/2117462773709889570 Factual accuracy: 49% · Overall accuracy: 25% ## Source post **Target post by @glenn_diesen** > A torture chamber of Zelensky was uncovered near Kiev, where over 40 mobilised men were held captive by Ukraine's National Guard. The youngest victim was reportedly just 14 years old. There is now great outrage and riots in Ukraine against the henchmen of Zelensky and NATO. https://t.co/cCJtpGgXV6 > [attached video 0](https://video.twimg.com/amplify_video/2117462740641923072/vid/avc1/720x1174/onyfR8o2FULF73Hx.mp4?tag=29) > > Video transcript: Скажіть, це нормально? А що робили з хлопцем? Скільки хлопця цього тримали? > ![image 1](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HWK9K0FXYAA87ie.jpg) ## Post analysis Verdict: 25% · Model: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash 1017 · Checked on: 03/11/2026 - The post's central framing — "a torture chamber of Zelensky" — is an unverified characterization rather than an established fact[^1][^2]. The real event was a standoff at a National Guard facility (Military Unit 3121, tied to the Azov Corps) in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka near Kyiv, described by authorities as a temporary accommodation/processing site for mobilized servicemen and AWOL returnees[^2][^1]. - The "over 40 held captive" figure is inflated: initial reports said "around 40," but official accounts ranged from 14 (Budanov) to about 25–30, and police explicitly denied illegal detention of dozens of hostages[^1]. - The 14-year-old detail is the best-supported element: multiple Ukrainian outlets reported a 14-year-old was found at the building, and video shows him telling Budanov his age — though his status as a "youngest victim held" in a confirmed torture chamber is not established[^3]. - The "great outrage and riots" is overstated: there was a genuine local confrontation with injuries, torn-down gates and tear gas, and Budanov was booed — but this was not nationwide riots[^4]. - The "henchmen of Zelensky and NATO" framing is misleading: no evidence links NATO to the facility, and no anti-NATO protests were reported[^4]; the Zelensky attribution originates mainly from Russian officials and pro-Kremlin commentators[^2]. - Taken as a whole, the post combines a real incident with an unverified "torture chamber" label, an inflated headcount, and a false NATO/Zelensky conspiracy framing, so the impression it leaves is substantially misleading. **Overall validity**: 25% [^1]: [Over 40 mobilized men were held captive by Ukraine's National Guard in a torture chamber near Kiev, Ukraine.](#3a6dc828-ec72-4d96-952c-9c076f32bc88) [^2]: [A torture chamber attributed to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was uncovered near Kiev, Ukraine, in early November 2026.](#dbebd2c3-b935-4517-b741-1b6051f39690) [^3]: [The youngest victim held in the torture chamber near Kiev, Ukraine, was reportedly 14 years old.](#e5b283a0-346b-46c0-92a4-cbbe520ebbc9) [^4]: [Riots and outrage occurred in Ukraine in November 2026 against the henchmen of Zelensky and NATO in response to the discovery of a torture chamber near Kiev.](#5a8635a3-cedd-458e-9106-c8e58c42dc72) ## Claims found (4) ### 1. A torture chamber attributed to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was uncovered near Kiev, Ukraine, in early November 2026. — 30% Model: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash 1017 · Checked on: 03/11/2026 · Detail: /claim/dbebd2c3-b935-4517-b741-1b6051f39690 - The underlying incident is real: on November 2, 2026, crowds gathered at a private house in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka near Kyiv, where National Guard servicemen were present; four injured servicemen were hospitalized[^1][^2][^3]. - But “torture chamber” is an allegation, not an established fact. Police denied reports of unlawful hostage-taking and a death, and the National Guard described the site as temporary accommodation for mobilized personnel and AWOL returnees[^1][^2][^4]. - Ukraine’s State Bureau of Investigation opened a case into abuse of office and is examining possible coercion, while cautioning that many circulating claims lack confirmation[^5]. - The attribution to Zelensky comes mainly from Russian officials and pro-Kremlin commentators; the facility was linked to a National Guard/Azov unit, not shown to be personally run by Zelensky[^6][^7]. - So the claim mixes a real event with an unverified and misleading “Zelensky’s torture chamber” characterization. **Overall validity**: 30% [^1]: [Clashes in a house in the village of Petropavlivska Borshchahivka — what is known about the incident](https://babel.ua/en/news/131458-clashes-in-petropavlivska-borshchahivka-the-national-guard-said-that-there-were-mobilized-and-military-personnel-in-the-building-after-awol) [^2]: [Confrontation involving National Guard soldiers unfolds near Kyiv, police deny hostage reports](https://kyivindependent.com/confrontation-involving-national-guard-soldiers-unfolds-near-kyiv-police-deny-hostage-reports/) [^3]: [The Minister of Internal Affairs ordered an internal investigation into the conditions in which National Guard servicemen were staying in the Kyiv region | УНН](https://unn.ua/en/news/the-interior-minister-ordered-an-internal-investigation-into-the-conditions-in-which-national-guard-troops-were-staying-in-the-kyiv-region) [^4]: [National Guard Commander Pivnenko on Petropavlivska Borshchahivka incident: no casualties, investigation ongoing](https://inkorr.com/en/amp/komanduvac-nacgvardii-pivnenko-pidtverdiv-vijskovosluzbovci-v-budinku-petropavlivskoi-borsagivki-zagibeli-nemae-trivae-rozsliduvanna-353233) [^5]: [SBI opens abuse of office case over Petropavlivska Borshchahivka events](https://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/1230346.html) [^6]: [Russian MFA on Kiev Torture Chamber: 'Zelensky’s Regime Rests Precisely on Them' - 03.11.2026, Sputnik India](https://sputniknews.in/20261103/russian-mfa-on-kiev-torture-chamber-zelenskys-regime-rests-precisely-on-them-12775419.html) [^7]: [Azov-Linked Secret Detention Facility Exposed Near Kyiv, 14-Year-Old Among 14 People Found | Times Now](https://www.timesnownews.com/world/europe/azov-linked-secret-detention-facility-exposed-near-kyiv-14-year-old-among-14-people-found-article-156456746) ### 2. Over 40 mobilized men were held captive by Ukraine's National Guard in a torture chamber near Kiev, Ukraine. — 55% Model: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash 1017 · Checked on: 03/11/2026 · Detail: /claim/3a6dc828-ec72-4d96-952c-9c076f32bc88 **What the evidence shows:** - On 2 November 2026, a standoff occurred at a private house in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka (a Kyiv suburb) that was used by a National Guard unit (Military Unit 3121, linked to the Azov Corps) as a temporary deployment/processing site for **mobilized servicemen and soldiers detained after going AWOL**[^1][^2][^3]. So the core elements — a National Guard facility near Kyiv holding mobilized men — are real. - Initial reports said armed men were holding **"around 40"** people in the basement, and a medic claimed detainees had injuries "consistent with torture"[^2][^4][^5]. That "about 40" figure is the basis of the claim. - But the number is contested and official Ukrainian accounts are lower: an MP reported **25** men, the National Guard commander later said **"up to 30"** remained inside, a medic who entered said **about 25** remained, and the head of Zelensky's office, Kyrylo Budanov, said **14 people** were being held at the property[^6][^3][^7]. Police explicitly called reports of illegal detention and dozens of hostages "not true"[^7]. - The "torture chamber" characterization is also an allegation rather than an established fact: officials denied torture ("We don't torture – we form units"), Azov confirmed four servicemen had injuries but denied systematic mistreatment, and the State Bureau of Investigation opened a case into abuse of office specifically to verify whether coercion was used — warning that many circulating reports "lack proper confirmation"[^8][^4][^2][^3]. Visible injuries (bruises, a broken rib, a 14-year-old allegedly beaten) were documented, and Budanov called the situation "unacceptable" and acknowledged similar facilities exist[^9][^3][^4]. - The strongest versions of the claim ("over 40," "45 victims," "torture chamber") come largely from Russian state outlets and a self-described "pro-Russian underground" source, and are not corroborated by Ukrainian or independent reporting[^2][^10][^11]. **Assessment:** The underlying incident — mobilized National Guard personnel held in a basement facility near Kyiv, with visible injuries, protests, and an official criminal investigation — is well documented. However, the specific claim inflates the head count (official figures range from 14 to \~30, not "over 40") and presents "torture chamber" as fact when it remains a contested allegation under investigation. **Overall validity**: 55% [^1]: [The commander of the National Guard revealed who was being held in a house near Kyiv | УНН](https://unn.ua/en/news/the-national-guard-commander-revealed-who-was-being-held-in-a-house-near-kyiv) [^2]: [Ukraine’s National Guard chief says servicemen held in basement for going AWOL - World - TASS](https://tass.com/world/2212109) [^3]: [Azov-Linked Secret Detention Facility Exposed Near Kyiv, 14-Year-Old Among 14 People Found | Times Now](https://www.timesnownews.com/world/europe/azov-linked-secret-detention-facility-exposed-near-kyiv-14-year-old-among-14-people-found-article-156456746) [^4]: [Military ‘torture chamber’ triggers new scandal in Kiev (Video) - Daily Telegraph NZ](https://dailytelegraph.co.nz/news/military-torture-chamber-triggers-new-scandal-in-kiev-video/) [^5]: [Police detain medic who reported basement in Kiev, former lawmaker says - World - TASS](https://tass.com/world/2212139) [^6]: [Video surfaces online showing men from house in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka | Ukrainian News Agency](https://ukranews.com/en/news/1184969-a-video-has-surfaced-online-showing-men-from-a-house-in-petropavlivska-borshchahivka) [^7]: [People are being taken from a house in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka to the hospital: what is known about the situation now - sud.ua](https://sud.ua/en/news/ukraine/376564-iz-budynku-v-petropavlivskii-borshchahivtsi-do-likarni-vyvoziat-liudei-shcho-vidomo-pro-sytuatsiiu-zaraz) [^8]: [SBI opens abuse of office case over Petropavlivska Borshchahivka events](https://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/1230346.html) [^9]: [Budanov called the situation with the secret torture chamber discovered near Kiev unacceptable. | World News | Izvestia | 03.11.2026](https://iz.ru/en/node/2195456) [^10]: [IN BRIEF: International rights groups ignore Kiev's network of unofficial prisons - Russian Politics & Diplomacy - TASS](https://tass.com/politics/2212297) [^11]: [Azov militants set up ‘prison’ in basement near Kiev — publication - World - TASS](https://tass.com/world/2212127) ### 3. The youngest victim held in the torture chamber near Kiev, Ukraine, was reportedly 14 years old. — 80% Model: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash 1017 · Checked on: 03/11/2026 · Detail: /claim/e5b283a0-346b-46c0-92a4-cbbe520ebbc9 - A 14-year-old boy was led out of the National Guard facility in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka, near Kyiv, during the unrest on 2 November 2026. Video shows him telling presidential office head Kyrylo Budanov that he is 14[^1][^2]. - Multiple Ukrainian outlets — including LIGA.net, The New Voice of Ukraine, Ukrayinski Novyny, ZN.ua and TSN — reported that a 14-year-old was found in the building/on its grounds[^3][^4][^2][^1][^5]. - Reports also said the boy had been beaten; eyewitnesses cited by Dzerkalo Tyzhnia claimed he was struck with a shovel, and Russian state media repeated that account[^6][^7]. - However, the “torture chamber” and “held victim” characterizations are contested: the boy said he came “with the guys,” one protester claimed he was thrown over the fence and beaten, and police denied unlawful detention, describing the site as a temporary military staging point[^4][^8][^1]. - The 14-year age is therefore well supported as a reported detail, though the broader framing of him as a “youngest victim held” in a confirmed torture chamber remains unverified and under investigation. **Overall validity**: 80% [^1]: [Budanov arrives on site of street clashes near Kyiv / The New Voice of Ukraine](https://english.nv.ua/nation/budanov-arrives-on-site-of-street-clashes-near-kyiv-50655679.html) [^2]: [Budanov led a 14-year-old boy out of the National Guard building in Borshchahivka | Ukrainian News | LIGA.net](https://news.liga.net/en/war/news/disturbance-in-borshchahivka-budanov-led-a-14-year-old-boy-out-of-the-building) [^3]: [14-річного хлопця виявили в будівлі у Петропавлівській Борщагівці - ZN.ua](https://zn.ua/ukr/UKRAINE/v-budivli-u-petropavlivskij-borshchahivtsi-znajshli-14-richnoho-khloptsja.html) [^4]: [Крапка в скандалі під Києвом: як Буданов домовлявся з мітингувальниками та що сталося з 14-річним підлітком — Укрaїнa](https://tsn.ua/ukrayina/krapka-v-skandali-pid-kyyevom-iak-budanov-domovliavsia-z-mitynhuvalnykamy-ta-shcho-stalosia-z-14-richnym-pidlitkom-3206235.html) [^5]: [У будинку в Петропавлівській Борщагівці, де Нацгвардія утримувала людей, перебував 14-річний хлопець | Українські Новини](https://ukranews.com/ua/news/1185016-u-budynku-v-petropavlivskij-borshhagivtsi-de-natsgvardiya-utrymuvala-lyudej-perebuvav-14-richnyj) [^6]: [Teenager held in basement near Kiev beaten with shovel — publication - World - TASS](https://tass.com/world/2212129) [^7]: [Azov-Linked Secret Detention Facility Exposed Near Kyiv, 14-Year-Old Among 14 People Found | Times Now](https://www.timesnownews.com/world/europe/azov-linked-secret-detention-facility-exposed-near-kyiv-14-year-old-among-14-people-found-article-156456746) [^8]: [Поліція спростувала чутки про нібито незаконне утримування та загибель людей в Петропавлівській Борщагівці](https://interfax.com.ua/news/general/1229942-amp.html) ### 4. Riots and outrage occurred in Ukraine in November 2026 against the henchmen of Zelensky and NATO in response to the discovery of a torture chamber near Kiev. — 30% Model: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash 1017 · Checked on: 03/11/2026 · Detail: /claim/5a8635a3-cedd-458e-9106-c8e58c42dc72 - The underlying incident is real: on 2 November 2026, a crowd gathered outside a National Guard facility in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka near Kyiv after reports that men were being held and beaten in the basement. Four injured servicemen were hospitalised, and the confrontation involved torn-down gates, smashed windows, smoke grenades and tear gas[^1][^2]. - There was genuine public outrage, and President Zelensky’s chief of staff, Kyrylo Budanov, was confronted and booed at the scene[^3][^4]. But this was a local confrontation, not nationwide “riots.” - The “torture chamber” description is an allegation, not an established fact. Police denied unlawful detention and reports of a death, the National Guard described the building as a temporary deployment site, and investigators were still examining whether coercion or abuse occurred[^1][^2]. A closely related claim about a “torture chamber” near Kyiv was assessed at only 30% validity because the phrase presents an unverified characterization as fact[^5]. - The “henchmen of Zelensky and NATO” framing is misleading. The facility was linked to a Ukrainian National Guard unit (Military Unit 3121, associated with the Azov Corps), not to NATO[^1][^6]. No evidence indicates NATO ran, staffed or was targeted over the facility, and no anti-NATO protests were reported. **Overall validity**: 30% [^1]: [Ukrainian chief of staff Budanov blasts Kyiv clashes as unacceptable / The New Voice of Ukraine](https://english.nv.ua/nation/ukrainian-chief-of-staff-budanov-blasts-kyiv-clashes-as-unacceptable-50655724.html) [^2]: [Confrontation involving National Guard soldiers unfolds near Kyiv, police deny hostage reports](https://kyivindependent.com/confrontation-involving-national-guard-soldiers-unfolds-near-kyiv-police-deny-hostage-reports/) [^3]: [Kyrylo Budanov booed outside building housing mobilized soldiers near Kyiv ᐉ News from Fakti.bg - World | ФАКТИ.БГ](https://fakti.bg/en/world/1096695-kirilo-budanov-beshe-osvirkan-pred-sgrada-s-mobilizirani-krai-kiev) [^4]: [Budanov called the events in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka unacceptable and announced a decision | УНН](https://unn.ua/en/news/budanov-called-the-events-in-petropavlivska-borshchahivka-unacceptable-and-announced-a-decision) [^5]: [A torture chamber attributed to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was uncovered near Kiev, Ukraine, in early November 2026.](#dbebd2c3-b935-4517-b741-1b6051f39690) [^6]: [Military ‘torture chamber’ triggers new scandal in Kiev (Video) - Daily Telegraph NZ](https://dailytelegraph.co.nz/news/military-torture-chamber-triggers-new-scandal-in-kiev-video/)