I was one of the only foreign journalists present at this evening's...
Francis Farrell@francisjfarrell
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Nov 03, 2026
~4 min read
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I was one of the only foreign journalists present at this evening's clash at the National Guard facility in a suburb outside Kyiv. Here's what you need to understand. Long and difficult thread.
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First and foremost: Any take you see in the information space trying to use today's events for a black-and-white emotional narrative — especially one about Ukrainians revolting over mobilization — likely has an agenda, and is not going to accurately represent reality.
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The events themselves, the broader societal issues forming the context, and the information sphere aspect respectively are all related but also separate phenomena and should be treated as such. First, the facts.
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This is what we can say for sure. The house was being used by the National Guard as a transition point to hold mobilised men between the time when they are taken in by draft officers and do their medical, and the time when they are taken to basic training.
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Yes, Ukraine has forced mobilisation, and the "forced" part of that implies that people are taken and held often against their will by draft officers, and that the further restriction of draftees' freedom to leave often continues until and into basic training.
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None of that is new, or should be a surprise, that is the reality of a country waging an existential war, but the circumstances under which it occurs is a source of tension, and the failure of the state to grapple with mobilisation reform exacerbates it every step of the way.
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The process of carrying out mobilisation and then dividing draftees among units is a challenging logistical operation, and such transition-holding locations are common solutions when the pieces of the puzzle do not quite line up.
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Unfortunately, this leg of the draftee's journey exists in a legal grey area, and, depending on the unit and the individuals in charge, can be the site of abuse. This is what was initially alleged here, sparking the call of the "private ambulance," and then the gathering crowd.
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When I got there, about 100 people were outside, yelling at the policemen and National Guardsmen guarding the house. Mostly younger men, some women and teens, and two workers of this "private ambulance" and their vehicle.
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Every time there was an attempt at dialogue, things escalated, in what felt like a very artificial way. Eggs were thrown, then flares, water bottles, at law enforcement and the soldiers.
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What stood out to me was how there were certain main characters of the story, as if they had clear roles to play. The few men in civilian clothes attacking and provoking; the teen in a gas mask who climbed the fence, started throwing bricks, and was later paraded as a victim;
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the "local activist" in the center of the clash looking for any opportunity to speak to a camera about the apparent "torture" inside, and of course, the "private ambulance" medics trying to run proceedings — whose company seems to have stopped operating in 2023.
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I will say now that apart from some tear gas fired to ward off direct attempts to storm the building by force and some shots fired in the air, the reaction of the police and National Guard personnel was restrained, professional, and did not escalate to the level of the mob.
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So, the context. Tension over forced mobilisation is indeed bubbling in Ukraine; ignoring or denying that is out of touch. It would be in any country going through what Ukraine is going through, if that country could even resist a Russian war long enough to reach this point.
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The main reason is the failure of the state to look the mobilisation question in the eye, speak openly with society, and reform the process from start to finish. The vacuum left is what the military is filled ad-hoc with so-called "bussification" and holding points like this.
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Mobilisation in Ukraine needs to be done better, mechanisms of proper military law and justice need to be enforced. Soldiers need more dignity when drafted, and more protection on the battlefield. But none of this changes how without mobilisation, Russia will soon win this war.
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Also, individual anger at mobilisation when it affects oneself or one's loved ones — exacerbated by grievances over corruption — is not the same as a will for Ukraine to capitulate in the war or accept Russia's terms. On the level of society as a whole, that hasn't budged.
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So lastly, the information space. All of this is music to Russia's ears, and whether or not the Kremlin played an active role in staging and stoking this clash, the traditional pro-Ukrainian surrender voices are already amplifying it like clockwork.
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But even if it is a manufactured provocation, that doesn't mean that the tensions don't exist, the reforms aren't needed, and the state isn't responsible for where we are now. This could be a watershed moment in the national discussion, for better or for worse.
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International reporting on these issues, while often well-intentioned, is often lacking in anywhere near enough of the nuance that this topic demands. If I can be of help, feel free to reach out.
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And of course, follow and support the work of our team at @Kyivindependent.
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