Deadly Kyiv shooting: At least 6 killed as gunman takes hostages in supermarket
Kyiv, Ukraine, sees a huge tragedy on April 18 (illustrative photo: facebook.com/patrolpolice.gov.ua)
A deadly shooting occurred in Kyiv in the evening of April 18. The gunman, who killed and wounded several people and barricaded himself inside a supermarket, has been eliminated.
Key takeaways:
- An armed man opened random fire on passersby, having reportedly set fire to his own apartment beforehand.
- The Rapid Operational Response Unit (KORD) of the National Police of Ukraine eliminated the shooter during the assault on the supermarket, where he had barricaded himself, and killed one of the hostages after 40 minutes of negotiations.
- The tragedy resulted in six people being killed, and 14 others being injured to varying degrees, including a 4-month-old infant who suffered carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Preliminarily, the shooter has been identified as a 58-year-old native of Moscow, Dmytro Vasylchenkov.
- The perpetrator used a legally registered rifle, made no demands, and completely ignored negotiators' appeals.
What happened
In the evening of April 18, a man opened fire on people in the street using a rifle in Kyiv's Holosiivskyi district. The shooter acted randomly and shot victims at close range.
He began his path on Demiivska Street after reportedly setting fire to his own apartment, then moved to the Velmart supermarket, where he barricaded himself inside.
The KORD special unit arrived at the scene immediately and conducted 40 minutes of negotiations with the shooter. After he shot one of the hostages inside the supermarket, an assault was launched. The shooter was eliminated during the assault operation.
Victims and the injured: What we know
So far, six people are confirmed dead. Fourteen people are injured, including a security guard in the supermarket, where the shooter broke in.
In addition, a 4-month-old child was also affected. The baby suffered carbon monoxide poisoning in an apartment next to the one set on fire by the shooter before the tragedy.
Scene of the deadly shooting in Kyiv, Ukraine, on April 18 (photo: RBC-Ukraine)
What we know about the gunman
According to Ukraine's Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko, the gunman was identified as a 58-year-old native of Moscow. According to sources from RBC-Ukraine, his name is Dmytro Vasylchenkov.
Video captures #gunman who carried out fatal #shooting in #Kyiv on April 18 pic.twitter.com/6dKgkw0zgO
— RBC-Ukraine (@NewsUkraineRBC) April 18, 2026
Online reports suggested the shooter may have held Russian citizenship, but the Interior Ministry has neither confirmed nor denied this information.
The rifle used in the shooting was legally registered, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said at a briefing. In 2023, the man applied to renew his firearm license and submitted all required documents, including a medical certificate, which is subject to verification by the investigation authorities.
Law enforcement also said during the briefing that the shooter made no demands and did not respond to negotiators' attempts to persuade him.
The shooter's motives are still unknown. However, investigators already have several theories, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. According to him, law enforcement officers will examine all of the shooter's electronic devices, his phone, and his relationships.
Authorities' response
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he expects a swift investigation into the shooting. He also instructed the Interior Minister and the National Police to provide the public with all verified information in the case.
Meanwhile, Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko stressed that in cases like the one in Kyiv today, the state "must act firmly and decisively."
"In such situations, there is no room for compromise. There is only the duty to protect people," he said, commenting on the elimination of the shooter.
Officials classify shooting as terrorist attack
According to the Prosecutor General and the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), a criminal case has been initiated under Part 3 of Article 258 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (a terrorist act resulting in the deaths of people).
The SBU, National Police, and Prosecutor's Office take measures to establish all circumstances of the incident, including the possible motives of the shooter, law enforcement officials say.
