The deadly shooting spree in Kyiv’s Holosiivskyi district has been officially classified as a terrorist act, with the death toll rising to six people, the State Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the Prosecutor General’s Office reported on Saturday, April 18.
President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on Telegram that the attacker, a 58-year-old Russian-born man who had long resided in the Donetsk region, killed four people on the street and one hostage inside a Velmart supermarket before being liquidated by KORD special forces. A sixth victim, a woman, passed away in hospital.
Among the 14 reported wounded is a 12-year-old boy and the son of two of the deceased, born in 2015, who is currently being treated for a gunshot wound.
Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko stated that the attacker used a registered firearm. Before the assault, the gunman reportedly set fire to an apartment. Investigators are currently examining several versions of the event, including the perpetrator’s motives and electronic communications. “The state must act firmly and resolutely... there is no room for compromise,” Kravchenko emphasized.
Following the tactical operation, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko ordered National Police Chief Ivan Vyhivskyi to conduct an internal investigation into the professional actions of the police during the crisis.
The findings will be submitted to the State Bureau of Investigation (DBR). Klymenko noted that the slogan “to serve and protect” must be backed by professional actions, especially in critical moments when lives are at stake.
The SBU has opened a criminal proceeding under Part 3 of Article 258 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (a terrorist act resulting in the death of people).
While four hostages were successfully rescued during the storming of the supermarket, the number of wounded may still rise as more individuals seek medical assistance for injuries and trauma sustained during the attack.