Gunman Kills Six in Kyiv Before Being Shot Dead by Police
A 58-year-old gunman killed six people and injured at least 14 in Kyiv before being shot dead by police after a hostage standoff.
A 58-year-old man opened fire in Kyiv's Holosiivskyi district on April 18, killing six people and injuring at least 14 others before being shot dead by police. The assailant, identified as Dmytro Vasylchenkov, was born in Moscow and held Ukrainian citizenship.
The incident began when Vasylchenkov set fire to his apartment and then started shooting at passersby on Demiivska Street, killing four individuals. He then entered a supermarket, took hostages, and killed one of them. A sixth victim later died in the hospital.
Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko stated that the gunman had a legally registered carbine, obtained in December 2025. Negotiations with the assailant lasted approximately 40 minutes but were unsuccessful, leading special forces to storm the supermarket and fatally shoot him.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the attacker's identity and noted that he had a prior criminal record. The Security Service of Ukraine is investigating the incident as an act of terrorism.