6 Killed, 14 Injured in Daylight Shooting Rampage in Kyiv

A gunman killed six people and wounded 14 others in a daytime shooting spree in Ukraine’s capital on Saturday before being shot dead by security forces, officials said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the attack, describing it as a chaotic and deadly incident that unfolded across the city.

Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said the assailant initially opened fire in Kyiv’s Holosiyivskiy district, killing four people on the street. He then barricaded himself inside a nearby supermarket, where he took hostages and killed another victim.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko later confirmed a sixth fatality — one of the घायल victims who died in hospital. Among those injured was a child.

Authorities said the attacker fired at close range and appeared to act unpredictably. “People had almost no chance,” Klymenko said, noting the absence of any clear pattern in the assault.

Special forces launched an operation to neutralize the gunman after attempts to negotiate failed. Officials said he opened fire on officers before being killed. Four hostages were rescued during the operation.

The suspect, identified by prosecutors as a 58-year-old man born in Moscow, had been living in Ukraine’s Donetsk region. According to officials, he legally obtained the firearm — a civilian carbine — in late 2025 after securing the required permits.

Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko said the motive remains under investigation. Ukrainian media reported that the attacker may have set his apartment on fire prior to the shooting.

Videos circulating on social media showed scenes of the violence, including the gunman firing at civilians at close range.

In a statement, Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed condolences to the victims’ families and called for a swift and thorough investigation into the attack.

Residents described the suspect as a reclusive individual who had little contact with neighbors and had not previously displayed signs of aggression.