The Case of Ivan Prykhodko Takes a New Turn
Ivan Prykhodko, a former police officer charged with the negligent homicide of five-year-old Kyrylo Tlyavov, has been conscripted into the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Because of this development, his legal team is requesting that court proceedings be suspended until the war ends. Meanwhile, the prosecutor's office is investigating whether the mobilization was legitimate.
Prykhodko's lawyer, Viktor Chevhuz, confirmed the conscription. During a hearing at the Kyiv Court of Appeal on June 5, he submitted a certificate from a military unit commander verifying that Prykhodko had been enlisted. The mobilization was carried out by staff of the territorial recruitment center (TCC) on March 19. Prykhodko has since filed a request for discharge, citing that he is a father of three children.
Prosecutors in court asked for a one-month recess. Elvira Lazarenko, a representative of the Tlyavov family, expressed concern that the mobilization might be an attempt to evade punishment. She noted that no one knows how long the war will last and pointed out that the statute of limitations for the charge of negligent homicide expired two years ago.
Background of the Incident
On May 31, 2019, four individuals—including two police officers—were spending time in a yard in Pereiaslav-Khmelnytskyi while drinking alcohol. During the gathering, they decided to shoot at metal cans with a firearm. One of the bullets struck a young boy who was playing in a neighboring yard. On June 3, five-year-old Kyrylo Tlyavov died from his injuries in the hospital.
Two officers, Ivan Prykhodko and Volodymyr Petrovets, were arrested on suspicion of murder and held for two months without bail. In July, investigators charged two additional individuals, one of whom was a minor. On November 5, 2020, the head of the State Bureau of Investigation, Roman Truba, announced that investigators had clarified the circumstances of the killing, and on December 23, the indictment was sent to court. The case is being investigated under articles covering 'hooliganism involving firearms or bladed weapons' and 'negligent homicide.'
- On May 25, 2023, former officer Ivan Prykhodko was sentenced to four years in prison;
- Another ex-law enforcement officer, Volodymyr Petrovets, received a two-year probation for illegally keeping ammunition;
- Dmytro Kryvosheia and Stanislav Petrovets, who was a minor at the time of the crime, were acquitted by the court;
- Since May 2026, Prykhodko has been posting photos of himself in uniform near drones, indicating his service in a drone battalion.
The situation surrounding Ivan Prykhodko's case and his mobilization highlights a significant issue in Ukraine's legal system during wartime: how military service obligations intersect with criminal justice. The conscription of a person already convicted of a crime raises questions about fairness and the potential for avoiding accountability. It also underscores the complexity of balancing wartime military needs with the pursuit of justice.