Kyiv Police Kill Gunman Who Murdered 6, Took Hostages

A 58-year-old Russian-born man armed with an automatic weapon killed six people and wounded at least 14 in a mass shooting in central Kyiv on Saturday, April 18, 2026. After firing on people on the street outside an apartment block and shopping center in the Holosiivskyi district, he barricaded himself inside a supermarket with hostages. A female police negotiator tried for roughly 40 minutes to talk him out before special tactical units stormed the store and shot him dead. Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) classified the killings as an act of terrorism. The incident was described as unprecedented in wartime Kyiv since Russia's full-scale invasion began in 2022.

The Attack and the Standoff

The attacker, who had a prior criminal record and a valid weapons permit renewed in December 2025, used a legally registered automatic firearm. Four hostages were rescued. Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said: "We tried to persuade him, knowing that there was likely a wounded person inside…but he did not respond." At least 10 of the wounded were hospitalized, including one child.

Zelenskyy Confirms the Toll

In a statement posted to Telegram, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said: "The assailant has been neutralized. He had taken hostages and, tragically, killed one of them. He also murdered four people on the street. Another woman died in the hospital due to severe injuries." Zelenskyy pledged a swift investigation. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed the incident, while Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko confirmed the attacker's Russia origin.

No Motive Established

The SBU classified the killings as terrorism, but investigators said no motive has been established. Beyond the body count, the event stands out as unheard of in wartime Kyiv since 2022.