Gunman Born in Russia Kills Six in Kyiv Supermarket Attack; Investigators Examining 'Several Versions,' Zelenskyy Says
An attacker set fire to an apartment and then opened fire in the Holosiivskyi district of Kyiv on April 18, killing six people — including a hostage inside a supermarket — and wounding 14, including a 12-year-old boy. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the gunman was born in Russia, had long lived in Ukraine's Donetsk region, and had previously been prosecuted for criminal offences. KORD tactical police eliminated him after storming the store.
An armed man killed six people and wounded 14 others in the Holosiivskyi district of Kyiv on Saturday, April 18, before Ukrainian National Police tactical units (KORD) eliminated him inside a supermarket where he had taken hostages.
The account below follows President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's official Telegram statement issued Saturday afternoon, which is the most authoritative public summary at time of writing.
What the president said
Investigators from the National Police and the Security Service of Ukraine are now examining all the circumstances of the attack in Kyiv against ordinary civilians. The attacker was eliminated. He took hostages and, tragically, killed one of them. He shot dead four more people right on the street, and one more woman passed away in a hospital due to sustained injuries.
Four hostages have been rescued. At present, fourteen people have been reported wounded. Sadly, this number may rise as people continue to seek medical assistance. Among the injured is a 12-year-old boy.
It has been established that the attacker set fire to an apartment before going out onto the street with a weapon. He had previously been prosecuted for criminal offences. He had long resided in the Donetsk region and was born in Russia.
Investigators are working on several versions of what may have happened. All his electronic devices, his phone, and all his contacts will be examined. The Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, the Security Service of Ukraine, and the Prosecutor General of Ukraine will inform the public.
— President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Telegram, April 18, 2026
What happened, in order
| Before the shooting | The attacker set fire to an apartment, per the president's statement |
| On the street |