April 19, 2026

Man Shoots Six People in Kyiv. The Attacker is a 57-Year-Old Russian Native and Ukrainian Military Pensioner. What is Known

On April 18, a man in Kyiv shot and killed six city residents, and another 14 people were injured. Initially, the attacker opened fire on passers-by on the street, and then barricaded himself in a supermarket, taking hostages, reported the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine. Ukrainian authorities stated that after an unsuccessful negotiation attempt, the shooter was killed by special forces. Four hostages were rescued. The Security Service of Ukraine is investigating the case as a terrorist act that resulted in deaths. According to preliminary data, it is known that the attacker was born in Moscow and lived in the Donetsk region for a long time. Moreover, he had been living in Kyiv for at least the last 10 years. More details about what is known about the attack in the Ukrainian capital are in the material of "Novaya Gazeta Europe." Police at the shooting scene in Kyiv. Photo: Telegram / SUSPILNE NOVINY. Shooting and Hostage Taking The attack occurred in the Holosiivskyi district of the city. According to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, Ihor Klymenko, the 57-year-old man shot people chaotically. He shot four people at close range while walking down the street, and killed a fifth person in a store. Another woman died in the hospital from a severe injury. After locking himself in a supermarket with the customers inside, he made no demands. Approximately 40 minutes after negotiations, which, according to Klymenko, "did not yield results," special forces stormed the building and killed the shooter. Among the dead is a couple, the parents of a 10-year-old boy, who himself was wounded and is in the hospital. The incident was classified as a terrorist act. The Ministry of Internal Affairs clarified that the weapon used by the man was officially registered. He renewed his permit for its storage and carrying in December 2025. The Ukrainian police are checking the circumstances of the permit issuance. The next day, April 19, Klymenko ordered an urgent investigation into the actions of the police during the attack. A video recording circulated on social media showing police officers near a person sitting on the street. After gunshots are heard, they scatter, leaving the person alone. Screams and gunshots are heard on the recording, and the footage shows one of the men in civilian clothes falling to the ground. "'To serve and protect' is not just a slogan. It must be backed by appropriate professional actions. Especially in critical moments when people's lives depend on it," the minister stated. The head of the National Police, Ivan Vyhovskyi, announced the suspension of police officers from their duties during the investigation. What is Known About the Shooter's Identity Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recorded a video address in connection with the terrorist attack. He expressed condolences to the relatives of the victims. "It is known that the attacker set fire to his apartment before going out onto the street with a weapon. He had previously been prosecuted. He lived in the Donetsk region for a long time and was born in Russia," Zelensky said. He added that the police are currently clarifying details regarding the attacker's identity. The shooting was carried out by a 57-year-old native of Moscow, the prosecutor's office clarified. Preliminary information suggests he used an automatic weapon. "Suspilne" reports that the man came out of his building's entrance around five in the evening on Saturday, shot several people, including a family with a 12-year-old child, walked down the street, where he killed two more people on the way, and reached a local supermarket. There, he opened fire again and took customers and store employees hostage. The shooter lived on the fifth floor of an apartment building. Before going out onto the street with a weapon, he set fire to his apartment. Anna Nikolaevna, who lives on the floor above, said she knew him well, as he had lived in this building for over ten years. She recalled his name was Dmitry. The publication "Ukrainska Pravda," citing its own sources, indicates the attacker's full name. He turned out to be 57-year-old Dmitry Vasilievich Vasilchenkov. The Ukrainian channel "Television Toronto" claims, citing unofficial information, that Vasilchenkov was born in Moscow but had Ukrainian citizenship. He permanently resided in Bakhmut, but also temporarily lived in Ryazan between 2015 and 2017. Later, he returned to Ukraine and lived in Kyiv on Demiivska Street, near which the shooting occurred. Alleged shooter Dmitry Vasilchenkov. Photo: Telegram / Vitaliy Glagola. "He lived alone, had no family here, he would greet people on the street. Three days ago, I saw him in the yard: I was weeding flowers on the lawn, and he came out of the entrance with a backpack, greeted me, and left. He bought the apartment. I haven't seen him today. Neighbors have already seen him running with a machine gun. I don't know what he did for a living because I never asked," a neighbor of the shooter told "Suspilne." Journalists from "Television Toronto" also claim to have found Vasilchenkov's Facebook account. "The page is signed "Bakhmut VDV" and was active from 2016 to 2019. He posted anti-Ukrainian and anti-Semitic posts. Vasilchenkov called for a forceful 'cleansing' of society, referring to Adolf Hitler's methods. He also denied Ukraine's legitimacy, using the phrase 'so-called Ukraine' in his publications. He openly regretted that terrorist Igor Girkin did not completely destroy Bakhmut in 2014," the channel reports. According to journalists, Vasilchenkov is a military pensioner of Ukraine. In 2023 and 2024, he won several lawsuits and obtained an increase in pension payments and an additional sum of 2,000 hryvnias. Also, in February 2024, the Holosiivskyi District Court acquitted him of criminal charges for intentional bodily harm, as Vasilchenkov reconciled with the victim.