Police officer who allegedly fled April 18 shooting in Kyiv remanded with bail
The suspect stated that he was not running away, but was trying to get his bearings (Photo: Ihor Kuznietsov / NV)
Kyiv’s Pecherskyi District Court set a preventive measure for one of the police officers suspected of official negligence during the April 18 terrorist attack in the capital, ordering 60 days in custody with the option of 266,000 hryvnias ($6,030) bail, NV’s correspondent reported.
Defendant Mykhailo Drobnytskyi commented for the first time in court on the events in Kyiv’s Holosiyivskyi district.
He reiterated what National Police and Patrol Police officials previously said — that officers first received a call about petty hooliganism in a courtyard. When they arrived, they found several wounded people, including a child. The law enforcer said he immediately relayed information to the police duty officer, as required in such situations, and ordered a colleague to run to the car for a first-aid kit. At that moment, shooting began.
He maintains he did not run away but sought cover to orient himself, determine who was firing and from where, and then take necessary action. By the time he found such a position, the shooter had already left, he said.
The defense argued that given the attacker’s weapon parameters, the officer remained within the danger zone even after his maneuver and was exposed to risk. If he had truly fled, the distance would have been far greater, preventing him from fulfilling his duties, the defense said.
Prosecutors requested detention, arguing that because the suspect is a police officer, he could use his position to pressure witnesses and influence the investigation.
Drobnytskyi’s lawyer countered that he is a rank-and-file officer without such leverage, noting he was not arrested and came to court voluntarily, showing openness to the process. The defense asked for house arrest.
Terrorist attack in Kyiv
On April 18, a 58-year-old Moscow-born resident of the Ukrainian capital opened fire on people and then took hostages in a Velmart supermarket in Kyiv’s Holosiyivskyi district. Before going outside, he set his apartment on fire.
KORD special forces killed the gunman during the assault. He was identified as Dmytro Vasylchenkov. His social media posts indicated anti-Ukrainian and anti-Semitic views.
On April 19, Kyiv Patrol Police chief Yevheniy Zhukov announced his resignation after footage surfaced showing patrol officers leaving the scene during the shooting.
On April 20, Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko said two police officers were chargedunder Part 3 of Article 367 of the Criminal Code (official negligence causing grave consequences), which carries up to five years in prison.
Will you support Ukraine’s free press?
Dear reader, as all news organizations, we must balance the pressures of delivering timely, accurate, and relevant stories with requirements to fund our business operations.
As a Ukrainian-based media, we also have another responsibility – to amplify Ukraine’s voice to the world during the crucial moment of its existence as a political nation.
It’s the support of our readers that lets us continue doing our job. We keep our essential reporting free because we believe in our ultimate purpose: an independent, democratic Ukraine.
If you’re willing to support Ukraine, consider subscribing to our Patreon starting from 5$ per month. We are immensely grateful.
Please help us continue fighting Russian propaganda.
Truth can be hard to tell from fiction these days. Every viewpoint has its audience of backers and supporters, no matter how absurd.
If conscious disinformation is reinforced by state propaganda apparatus and budget, its outcomes may become deadly.
There is no solution to this, other than independent, honest, and accurate reporting.
We remain committed to empowering the Ukrainian voice to push against the muck. If you’re willing to stand up for the truth – consider supporting us on Patreon starting from 5$ per month. Thank you very much.
Will you help tell Ukraine’s story to the world?
Twenty years ago, most people hadn’t even heard of Ukraine. Today, the country is on everyone’s lips and everyone’s headlines. War pushed us on the front page. But there are many other things we do that we are proud of – from music and culture to technology.
We need your help to tell the world Ukrainian story of resilience, joy, and survival. If you’re willing to back our effort, consider supporting us on Patreon starting from 5$ per month. We are immensely grateful.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google News
