Kyiv – The head of Ukraine’s patrol police, Yevhen Zhukov, has resigned after two officers came under scrutiny for allegedly abandoning civilians during a deadly mass shooting in the capital.
The incident took place on Saturday in Kyiv’s southern Holosiivskyi district, where a gunman opened fire on people in the street, killing six and injuring 14 others. The attacker then took hostages inside a nearby supermarket before being killed in a police shoot-out.
Footage circulating online appears to show police officers leaving the scene as civilians remained in danger. Ukraine’s Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko confirmed that the officers involved have been suspended and are under investigation.
“Serve and protect is not just a slogan. It must be supported by appropriate professional actions,” Klymenko wrote on Telegram, while cautioning against generalising the actions of two officers to the entire police force.
Zhukov said the officers “failed to assess the situation properly and left civilians in danger,” describing their behaviour as “unprofessional and unworthy.”
Announcing his resignation, he said: “As a combat officer, I have decided to submit my resignation from the position I currently hold.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also criticised the officers, saying they were present at the scene but “did not stop the murderer and fled on their own.” He confirmed that a criminal investigation is underway, including a review of their previous conduct.
“We are going through a war and every day we suffer human losses from Russian strikes,” Zelensky said. “It is especially painful to lose people like this, in an ordinary city, just on the street.”
Authorities said eight injured people remain in hospital, including one in critical condition.
Officials have identified the attacker as a 58-year-old man originally from Moscow, who had recently been living in Kyiv’s Holosiivskyi district. He previously lived in the eastern Donetsk region, an area partly under Russian control.
Investigators say the weapon used in the attack was legally registered, and they are now examining how the suspect obtained or renewed his firearm licence.
While shootings of this scale are rare in Kyiv despite the ongoing war with Russia, officials described the suspect’s mental state as “clearly unstable.”
Interior Minister Klymenko said there would be no mass review of gun ownership following the incident. He also expressed support for citizens’ right to armed self-defence, noting that Ukrainians were permitted to own firearms under strict licensing conditions.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, civilians have been allowed to carry weapons for self-defence and national resistance. However, surveys suggest gun ownership remains relatively low, with only around 3.4% of Ukrainian adults owning firearms.
The investigation into the Kyiv shooting and the actions of the officers is ongoing.