Following the altercation at the Nikolsky shopping mall, police have increased patrols in Kharkiv. (video)

Following reports of a mass brawl involving teenagers near the "Nikolskiy" shopping mall in central Kharkiv on the evening of February 2, law enforcement officials opened a criminal investigation to clarify the circumstances, citing signs of hooliganism by a group of individuals.

Despite no one reporting injuries to the police, investigative actions and procedural measures are ongoing, as stated by Vasily Bogdan, head of the Juvenile Prevention Department of the National Police, during a broadcast on “Hromadske Radio”.

“Regarding Kharkiv, yesterday the police received a report about a large fight near the shopping mall. Police units immediately responded to the scene. Upon arrival, law enforcement found a gathering of young people, some of whom were aggressive. They initiated a scuffle as a result of a conflict with the security guards of the mentioned mall. However, due to preventive measures, the young people dispersed,” Bogdan reported.

Video: Telegram

The head of the Juvenile Prevention Department of the National Police noted that despite all the media reports, there were no records of minors participating in the mentioned brawl. At the same time, to prevent similar incidents in the future, the Kharkiv police have intensified patrols in areas of mass gatherings, Bogdan stated.

Video: “Kharkiv 1654″/Telegram

“We have not observed any trend or spread of such events. The police are taking all necessary measures to prevent such occurrences… Recent incidents are not connected and are individual cases. This is not a challenge or a wave. No influence from adversaries on the emergence of these cases has been detected,” he added.

Video: “Trukha”/Telegram

Videos and photos of the gathering of youth near the "Nikolskiy" shopping mall on the evening of February 2 circulated on Telegram channels. The Main Directorate of the National Police in the Kharkiv region commented that around 18:36, law enforcement received a report about a mass brawl at the mall. Patrol officers and representatives of a security firm were dispatched to the scene.

“It was established that a conflict arose among the teenagers, which escalated into a fight. Additionally, the participants of the incident resisted the representatives of the security company. The offense was stopped. A statement and explanations were taken from the administrator of the shopping and entertainment center… No one sought medical assistance,” the police reported.