Protests Erupt in Ukraine Over Soldier Torture Allegations as Zelensky Meets Germany's Merz
Anger is boiling over in Ukraine after disturbing footage surfaced showing mobilized men and teenagers allegedly tortured by National Guard members near Kyiv, setting off street protests.
- Footage from a basement near Kyiv allegedly showed dozens of mobilized Ukrainians, including a 14-year-old, being tortured by National Guard members.
- Angry parents and locals took to the streets, flipping over and smashing government vehicles while demanding answers about missing sons.
- The unrest adds to long-running claims of forced conscription sweeps, bribes to free detained recruits, and organs being removed from soldiers' bodies.
- Zelensky was reportedly in Germany meeting Chancellor Friedrich Merz, widely seen as another push for more military and financial aid.
- A guest military analyst argued decades of US and NATO decisions, including NATO's rapid post-Cold War expansion, helped set up today's crisis.
Outlook: Expect more domestic unrest in Ukraine over how soldiers and conscripts are being treated, even as Kyiv keeps pressing Western allies for continued funding.