The prosecutor's office has opened an investigation into allegations of police misconduct during the terrorist attack in Kyiv
Criminal proceedings have been initiated regarding the improper performance of official duties by police officers during the terrorist attack in the capital on April 18, 2026. Legal classification of the criminal offense: Part 3 of Article 367 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (Official negligence resulting in serious consequences, punishable by 5 to 8 years in prison).
This was announced by Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko.
He promised that all actions taken by law enforcement officers at the moment of a critical threat to citizens’ lives—including the incident involving leaving a minor child in danger and the failure to stop the attacker in a timely manner—will receive a proper legal assessment.
The group of prosecutors handling the case is led by the Kyiv City Prosecutor. The pre-trial investigation is being conducted by the State Bureau of Investigations.
“We guarantee that the investigation will be conducted objectively and impartially. The public will receive answers, and those responsible will face legal punishment. Justice will be served. My sincere condolences to the families of the deceased and wishes for a speedy recovery to the victims. P.S. Regarding the deceased mother of the injured boy, I must correct an error: it was not the boy’s mother who died in the hospital, but her sister,” Kravchenko stated.
The attack took place on Saturday, April 18, when 58-year-old Dmytro Vasylchenkov opened fire on pedestrians on Demiivska Street, after which he took hostages at the “Velmart” supermarket. As a result of the attack, six people were killed, and about 15 others were injured to varying degrees.
Earlier, a video appeared online showing police officers fleeing from the shooter during the attack in Kyiv on April 18, leaving civilians behind, including a child.
At the instruction of Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko, an internal investigation has been launched into the actions of patrol officers at the scene of the shooting in Kyiv. For the duration of the investigation, the police officers involved in the incident have been suspended from duty.
