In brief: State Language Protection Commissioner Olena Ivanovska has announced that Head of the Presidential Office Kyrylo Budanov acknowledged violating Ukraine’s state language legislation and will pay the mandatory statutory fine. The violation occurred when Budanov used Russian while addressing a crowd during violent clashes outside a National Guard transit house in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka on Nov. 2.
Head of the Presidential Office Kyrylo Budanov has acknowledged violating Ukraine’s state language legislation during a confrontation outside a National Guard facility in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka and will pay a statutory fine, State Language Protection Commissioner Olena Ivanovska announced.
Ivanovska confirmed that state oversight procedures were formally initiated following public reports that Budanov used the Russian language while addressing civilians and law enforcement at the scene on Nov. 2.
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“Communication with the subject of the incident has taken place – calmly, without unnecessary pathos, and within the legal framework,” Ivanovska stated in a dispatch.
“The fact of the violation has been recognized without attempts to find excuses or trigger defensive reactions. The fine provided by law will be paid within the established timeframe.”
Ivanovska stated that the rule of law requires mistakes to be documented, admitted, and remedied through established administrative channels rather than public recrimination.
“The incident is being resolved as it should be in a civilized country – through law and accountability,” Ivanovska added.
What does the law say?
The fine can range from Hr. 3,400-6,800 ($75-150).
Budanov reportedly violated the law prohibiting the use of the Russian language while performing official duties.
Fines are imposed for violations of language laws in the area of customer service, on websites and social media pages of government agencies, businesses, and organizations, as well as by public officials while performing their official duties
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What happened during the confrontation in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka?
The language violation took place amid unrest outside a private residence in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka, a village on the western periphery of Kyiv, on the evening of Monday, Nov. 2.
A crowd assembled outside the property after unverified claims circulated on social media alleging that armed personnel were unlawfully confining and torturing roughly 40 mobilized recruits in a basement.
The situation escalated into physical clashes between protesters and security personnel, during which tear gas was discharged, gunshots were fired, and police vehicles sustained structural damage.
Regional authorities confirmed that 16 National Guard service members operating outside the building sustained injuries during the disturbances.
Senior officials, including National Guard Commander Oleksandr Pivnenko, Military Ombudswoman Olha Reshetylova, and Budanov, arrived at the location to de-escalate the standoff and order civilians to disperse.
Law enforcement response to the allegations
Kyiv regional police and National Guard commanders denied reports of torture, starvation, or deaths at the property.
Pivnenko explained that the building functioned as an administrative transit and processing point accommodating National Guard personnel prior to their departure for formal training. Officials confirmed that the individuals inside included servicemen who had returned after being absent without leave (AWOL).
Interior Minister Ivan Vyhivskyi stated that two of the men present had left their units without authorization, while the remaining recruits were scheduled to begin basic military training on Nov. 9.
Investigations established that the rumors were initially spread by Valentyna Moloda, who arrived in an out-of-service private ambulance belonging to the defunct clinic Med-Prestige and livestreamed the encounter.
Kyiv’s Solomianskyi District Court ordered Moloda remanded in custody without bail. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) opened criminal proceedings regarding obstruction of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) and the unauthorized disclosure of military deployment locations, identifying approximately 100 individuals who actively participated in the disturbance.
Concurrently, the State Bureau of Investigation (DBR) opened a criminal probe into suspected abuse of authority by military officials under Part 5 of Article 426-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine to assess conditions at the accommodation site.
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