The head of the Department of Patrol Police of Ukraine, Yevhen Zhukov, has resigned due to the actions of police officers during the terrorist attack in Kyiv. On the eve, the capital's public media published a video where two police officers run away when they hear gunshots.
Zhukov announced this during a briefing on April 19, a correspondent for Suspilny reports.
“As a combat officer, I have decided to submit a report for dismissal from the position I hold. I think this will be fair,” Zhukov said.
Yevhen Zhukov called the actions of his subordinates “shameful.” According to him, the patrolmen probably did not know in time which direction the shots were coming from and started running towards their car.
He also said that one of the police officers caught on video, a police officer, has been working for the Ministry of Internal Affairs since 2024 and is still “quite inexperienced.” He was accompanied by a policewoman who has been serving since 2015.
“An official investigation will be conducted and all managers will be held accountable for these actions, all managers who are currently the superiors of these two police officers,” said Yevhen Zhukov.
The Head of the National Police, Ivan Vyhivskyi, told reporters that Zhukov will not be dismissed from law enforcement agencies, but will likely be transferred to another position.
“Perhaps it will be related to assistance specifically related to the war,” said Vyhovsky.
Zhukov has headed the Patrol Police Department of the National Police of Ukraine since September 2015.
Earlier, Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko announced that a criminal case had been opened on the fact of improper performance of official duties by police officers during the terrorist attack in Kyiv. The pre-trial investigation is being conducted by the State Bureau of Investigation. According to him, the investigation will assess the actions of law enforcement officers at a time of critical threat to people's lives, when they left a child in danger and did not stop the attacker in a timely manner.
Today, April 19, the Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko instructed the Head of the National Police, Ivan Vyhivskyi, to conduct an internal investigation into the actions of the police officers during the terrorist attack that occurred in Kyiv on April 18. In response, Ivan Vyhivskyi stated that the law enforcement officers have already been suspended from their duties for the period of the inspection.
As we reported, in the Holosiivskyi district of Kyiv yesterday, a man opened fire on passers-by on the street, and then burst into a supermarket, where he held those present hostage. The attacker was eliminated during the storming of the store. As a result of the shooting, six people were killed and 14 were injured, including a child. The SBU qualifies the shooting of civilians as a terrorist act.