Organizer of Deadly Kyiv Defense Exhibition Held for 60 Days After Russian Strike

A Kyiv court on Monday ordered the organizer of a defense industry exhibition struck by two Russian ballistic missiles to remain in pretrial detention for 60 days as investigators examine whether negligence contributed to the deaths of 11 people.

The Sviatoshynskyi District Court granted prosecutors’ request to detain Vasyl Honcharuk, who organized the July 24 event at a privately operated complex in the Kyiv region, according to Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne.

Honcharuk has been formally notified that he is suspected of official negligence. The measure imposed by the court is not a finding of guilt, and the investigation remains underway.

Prosecutors sought detention without the possibility of bail, citing risks associated with the criminal proceedings. The defense asked the court to reject the prosecution’s request, describing Honcharuk’s detention as unjustified, but did not submit a separate motion proposing an alternative preventive measure.

Honcharuk’s lawyers said attorney Andriy Domansky had asked the court to release the suspect into his custody under a personal guarantee, pointing to Honcharuk’s public activities in Ukraine.

The defense declined to discuss the substance of the investigation, saying that many circumstances still had to be established.

“There are many specific circumstances that will need to be clarified,” one of Honcharuk’s lawyers told reporters. “Therefore, for now, the defense will not provide comments or detailed explanations.”

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The lawyer said the defense would present its arguments through formal court proceedings, motions, and communication with investigators.

Asked whether announcements about the event had been distributed online before the exhibition, the lawyers again declined to disclose details, citing the ongoing investigation.

Bucha strike

The court’s decision shifts attention to the organization and security arrangements surrounding the defense industry gathering, three days after the Russian strike killed at least 10 people and wounded dozens more.

Russian forces attacked the private complex in the Bucha district during the day on July 24. Representatives of Ukraine’s defense industry were attending an event at the site when two ballistic missiles struck, according to Ukrainian authorities.

The attack also damaged nearby civilian property.

Yurii Ihnat, head of communications for the Ukrainian Air Force, said the missiles approached Ukraine from the north and confirmed that two ballistic weapons hit the Kyiv region.

The Prosecutor General’s Office is pursuing separate lines of investigation: one into the Russian missile attack and another into possible negligence in organizing the gathering.

The event was held at a privately operated site rather than a military facility, however, Ukrainian authorities have said the circumstances surrounding its planning, authorization, and security arrangements are being investigated.

Officials are also examining whether information about the gathering, including its location and timing, was circulated in a way that may have created additional security risks.

Honcharuk will remain in custody while investigators continue collecting evidence and determining the responsibilities of those involved in organizing the exhibition.