A mass shooting occurred in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Saturday, leaving six people dead and 14 others wounded, according to authorities. The incident took place in the city's central Holosiivskyi district, where a gunman entered a supermarket, took hostages, and opened fire, resulting in the immediate deaths of five individuals, with a young woman later succumbing to her injuries in hospital.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed condolences to the families of the victims in his nightly video address, stating that the gunman was born in Russia and that all circumstances are being investigated to determine a motive. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko announced a "special operation" to apprehend the assailant, who was killed after 40 minutes of negotiations with security forces.

Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko confirmed that the gunman was killed during an arrest attempt after he took hostages and fired at police officers. Klymenko described how the suspect shot his victims at close range, severely reducing their chances of survival. Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko added that among the wounded was a 12-year-old boy whose parents were killed in the attack.

Local media reported that the attacker is believed to hold Ukrainian citizenship and to have lived in the Donbas region for an extended period, an area that is a focal point in the ongoing war with Russia. Ukraine's SBU security service designated the incident as a "terrorist act." Zelenskyy further noted that the suspect had a registered firearm, a criminal record, and had set fire to his apartment prior to the shooting spree. Such shootings are rare in Ukraine, highlighting the gravity of this event.

Source: www.dw.com