The head of Ukraine's patrol police, Yevhen Zhukov, has resigned following criticism directed at two of his officers for allegedly fleeing a deadly mass shooting in the capital, Kyiv. The incident occurred on Saturday in the Holosiivskyi district, where a gunman killed six people and injured 14 others before taking hostages in a supermarket; he was later killed in a shoot-out with police.
Footage shared online appears to show officers leaving civilians and running away from the scene. Interior Minister Igor Klymenko stated that the officers in question have been suspended and an investigation into their actions is underway. On Telegram, he wrote: "'Serve and protect' is not just a slogan. It must be supported by appropriate professional actions, especially at critical moments when people's lives depend on it."
Zhukov told a news conference on Sunday that the officers "failed to assess the situation properly and left civilians in danger," and acted "unprofessionally and unworthily." He announced: "As a combat officer, I have decided to submit my resignation from the position I currently hold." Ukrainian authorities are treating the shooting as a terrorist act but have not yet disclosed a motive; Klymenko described the gunman's mental state as "clearly unstable."
More details are emerging about the victims: one of the deceased was the father of a child injured in the attack, another is thought to be the boy's aunt. The shooter has been identified as a 58-year-old man originally from Moscow, who had been living in the Holosiivskyi district; he previously resided in the Donetsk region, which is largely under Russian occupation. The gun he used was officially registered, and authorities are now investigating how he obtained the necessary documents to renew his license.
While Kyiv is often subject to attacks during the ongoing war with Russia, shootings of this kind are rare in the city. Klymenko said there would not be a mass check of gun owners following the shooting, adding: "I believe that people should have the right to armed self-defence, especially after the experience when, at the beginning of the full-scale invasion, civilians received weapons for national resistance." Ukrainian citizens are permitted to own non-automatic firearms provided they meet license conditions, and since 2022, they have been allowed to carry weapons for self-defence and to defend their country.
Source: www.bbc.com