Сlashes erupt near Poroshenko’s house outside Kyiv

Two groups of demonstrators clashed overnight on Oct. 9, near former President Petro Poroshenko’s house in Kozyn, a village located 30 kilometers south of Kyiv.

Clashes took place between Poroshenko’s supporters and opponents, according to news outlet Ukrainska Pravda.

According to the police, a “peaceful action of two public organizations with different points of view on political events in the country” took place in Kozyn. Law enforcement authorities did not disclose the names of the organizers.  

However, a video posted on Facebook by Kyiv City Council deputy, Oleksandr Pohrebyskyi showed two groups of people clashing, some of them war veterans. According to Pohrebyskyi, war veterans were attacked by “titushki,” or thugs. 

Some of the demonstrators tried to break through to Poroshenko’s house located nearby, Iryna Gerashchenko, a lawmaker within Poroshenko’s 27-member European Solidarity party, wrote on Facebook. 

Still, on Oct. 10, the police reported that “no serious violations of law and order were recorded.” 

“On the night of Oct. 9-10, a clash broke out between the protesters, which the police regularly stopped, preventing further conflict,” Kyiv Oblast National Police wrote on Facebook. 

Poroshenko, who arrived at the spot later on Oct. 9 appealed to President Volodymyr Zelensky, saying that his office will be responsible for the ongoings. 

“(You) will be responsible for the inaction of law enforcement agencies, for the fact that the President’s Office issues orders to buy thugs, sends them here, insulting Ukraine,” Poroshenko’s Facebook post read. 

There has been no official response from the President’s Office yet.

However, the veteran’s rally still goes on, according to the video published by Pohrebyskyi on Oct. 10. There are currently over 80 police officers ensuring public safety in Kozyn.  

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