Kyiv Patrol Police Chief Yevhen Zhukov Resigns After Officers Fled Holosiivskyi Shooting

A mass shooting in Kyiv’s Holosiivskyi district on Saturday left six people dead and 14 others injured, and the incident triggered a political and policing crisis that culminated in the resignation of Ukraine’s patrol police chief, Yevhen Zhukov.

“- Published The head of Ukraine's patrol police, Yevhen Zhukov, has resigned after two of his officers faced criticism for allegedly fleeing a deadly mass shooting in the capital, Kyiv”

BBC

The BBC reported that a man opened fire on people in the street in the capital before taking others hostage in a nearby supermarket, and that he was later killed in a shoot-out with police.

BBC

Ukraine’s Interior Minister Igor Klymenko said the officers in question had been suspended and that an investigation into their actions was under way, while warning: "It is not entirely correct to make generalisations about the entire police only by the actions of two employees."

Zhukov told a news conference that the officers had "failed to assess the situation properly and left civilians in danger" and that they acted "unprofessionally and unworthily" before he resigned.

The BBC also reported that President Volodymyr Zelensky said the two officers had been "at the scene of the crime, but did not stop the murderer, and fled on their own" and that a criminal case into the matter was being handled by Ukraine’s national investigations bureau.

The Kyiv Independent similarly said the shooting occurred on April 18 and that Zhukov resigned on April 19 amid controversy over the police response, after video emerged of two officers running away from the scene after hearing shots fired.

In parallel, Euronews described the same basic sequence—an armed man opened fire and took hostages in a supermarket, then was shot dead during an attempt to arrest him—while stating that a video showed officers fleeing in panic and that the patrol police chief resigned.

Ukraine’s authorities treated the Saturday shooting as a terrorist act even as they said they had not yet spoken about a motive, and the case quickly expanded from the attack itself to questions about police conduct and firearms procedures.

The BBC said the Ukrainian authorities were treating Saturday' shooting as a terrorist act but had not yet spoken about a motive, and it added that Klymenko described the man’s mental state as "clearly unstable."

Euronews

The BBC also reported that the shooter was identified as a 58-year-old man originally from the Russian capital, Moscow, who had been living in the Holosiivskyi district in the lead-up to the shooting, and that prior to this he had lived in the eastern Donetsk region, which is largely under Russian occupation.

The BBC said the gun he used was officially registered and that investigators were investigating how he obtained the necessary documents to renew his licence.

Ukrinform likewise said that on April 18 an unidentified individual opened fire on people in Kyiv’s Holosiivskyi district, then took hostages in a store and fired at police during the arrest attempt, and that negotiators tried to establish contact before he was eventually neutralized.

Euronews reported that police have yet to establish a motive for the shooting, although it has now been officially classified as a terrorist act, and it quoted Klymenko saying the attacker "was clearly suffering from mental instability."

Across the reporting, the attack’s immediate end point was consistent: the shooter was killed by police after barricading himself in a supermarket and firing during an arrest attempt, with the BBC describing a shoot-out with police and the South China Morning Post describing anti-terrorism units shooting him dead after he barricaded himself in a supermarket where he took hostages.

The resignation and suspensions were framed by senior officials as a failure of professional duty during a critical moment, and the language used by Ukraine’s Interior Minister and President emphasized accountability while resisting broad blame.

“The head of Ukraine's patrol police, Yevhen Zhukov, has resigned after two of his officers faced criticism for allegedly fleeing a deadly mass shooting in the capital Kiev, the BBC has reported”

Gazeta Express

The BBC quoted Klymenko writing on Telegram: "'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," and it also included his caution that it was "not entirely correct to make generalisations about the entire police only by the actions of two employees."

Zhukov, according to the BBC, said the officers had "failed to assess the situation properly and left civilians in danger" and that they acted "unprofessionally and unworthily" before he resigned, describing his decision as coming from his role as a combat officer.

Zelensky, as reported by the BBC, accused the officers of "inaction" and said they were "at the scene of the crime, but did not stop the murderer, and fled on their own," while also saying a criminal case into the matter would check their previous work.

The Kyiv Independent added that Zhukov described the actions of his subordinate officers as "shameful" and said an internal investigation would be conducted with "all managers will be held accountable for these actions, all managers who are currently the superiors of these two police officers," while also quoting Zhukov’s resignation statement: "I think it will be fair."

Euronews similarly quoted Klymenko saying: "Shameful, unworthy behaviour. It is a disgrace for the whole system," and it described the patrol chief’s resignation as linked to the officers’ "shameful" and "disgracefully" response.

The Kyiv Independent also said Zelensky told the country the officers who fled the scene "were required to act in those circumstances," and it reported that Zelensky said protocols for responding to such situations would be reviewed, along with processes for hiring and training officers.

While the core facts of the Kyiv attack and the resignation were consistent across outlets, the reporting diverged in how it framed the police response, the details of the investigation, and the broader implications for firearms policy.

The BBC focused on the resignation and the official statements, reporting that Zhukov said the officers had "failed to assess the situation properly and left civilians in danger" and that Zelensky said the officers fled, while also noting that the authorities had not yet spoken about a motive.

LBC

Euronews similarly centered the video evidence and the suspension, quoting Klymenko on Telegram that the behavior was "a disgrace for the whole system" and describing the officers being suspended for the duration of the investigation, while also adding that Klymenko pledged "expert discussions with the participation of MPs, citizens, journalists and veterans" on firearms legislation.

The Kyiv Independent, by contrast, emphasized the administrative and legal machinery around the case, saying Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko announced a criminal case opened into alleged negligence and that the investigation, led by the State Bureau of Investigation, would assess whether law enforcement failed to act promptly, including possible endangerment of a child and delays in stopping the attacker.

The Kyiv Independent also reported that Ivan Vyhivskyi said Zhukov would not be dismissed from law enforcement altogether but would likely be transferred to another position in the Interior Ministry, possibly one involved more directly with the war effort, and it described Zelensky’s April 19 evening address as including a review of protocols, hiring, and training.

The South China Morning Post framed the resignation as a response to the video and described the attacker as being shot dead by anti-terrorism units after barricading himself in a supermarket where he took hostages, while stating that investigations into the motive of the 58-year-old gunman were continuing.

Even within the same official quotes, the outlets selected different phrases for emphasis: Euronews highlighted "Shameful, unworthy behaviour," while the BBC highlighted "Serve and protect" and Zelensky’s "inaction" framing, and the Kyiv Independent highlighted the procedural promise that "all managers will be held accountable".

The shooting’s aftermath also fed directly into Ukraine’s firearms debate, with officials stressing that there would be no mass check of gun owners while simultaneously pushing for legislative and procedural review.

“Arabic version:استقالة رئيس شرطة أوكرانيا بعد حادث إطلاق نار مميت Yevhen Zhukov, the head of Ukraine’s patrol police, has resigned after two officers faced criticism for allegedly fleeing a deadly mass shooting in Kyiv”

Oz Arab Media

The BBC reported that 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," and it quoted him again: "Especially after the experience when, at the beginning of the full-scale invasion, civilians received weapons for national resistance."

Oz Arab Media

The BBC also described the legal framework, saying Ukrainian citizens are permitted to own non-automatic firearms provided they meet licence conditions, such as not having a criminal record or history of mental illness, and it noted that since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukrainians have been able to carry weapons for self-defence and to defend their country.

Euronews reported that on the question of granting civilians the right to own firearms, including handguns, Klymenko said, "I believe people should have the right to defend themselves with weapons. Especially after seeing, at the start of the full-scale invasion, civilians being given weapons for the national resistance."

It also said Klymenko pledged "expert discussions with the participation of MPs, citizens, journalists and veterans" on firearms legislation, and it described the ministry’s approach to systematic checks as rejecting them while still examining how the attacker obtained medical certificates required to renew his gun licence.

The Kyiv Independent said Klymenko called for no "mass checks on gun owners" in the wake of the shooting, but that the ministry would open up expert discussions to prepare final legislation on civilian gun ownership.

Taken together, the sources portray a sequence in which the immediate police response is being legally assessed while firearms policy is being revisited through expert discussions rather than broad enforcement actions.