Court Ruling in the Case of Artem Kosov
On March 25, 2026, the Kyiv Court of Appeal rejected the appeal of Artem Kosov, a former officer of the State Guard Department, who was convicted to life imprisonment for the murder of 16-year-old Maksym Materukhin. The court's verdict remained unchanged, despite Kosov's request to have his actions reclassified under Article 119 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which carries a penalty of 3 to 5 years of restriction or deprivation of liberty.
The Incident and Judicial Investigation
The fatal incident occurred on April 7, 2024, at a funicular station in Kyiv. Maksym Materukhin, a 10th-grade student at Capital School No. 36, died after being pushed, falling, and shattering a glass panel with his head, which led to a cut in his carotid artery from a glass fragment. The State Bureau of Investigation opened a criminal case following the event, and Artem Kosov was notified of suspicion of intentional murder in 2024. At the time of the incident, he was not performing official duties and was in a state of alcohol intoxication.
The pre-trial investigation concluded on May 5, 2024, and the indictment was submitted to the court on May 29 of the same year. A court hearing scheduled for June 27 was postponed due to the non-appearance of defense lawyers, with a new date set for August 14. On August 20, the court reviewed video testimony from the deceased's friends, and on September 15, two witnesses were questioned, confirming the intentional nature of Kosov's actions. The court established a hooligan motive for the murder, and the examinations included comprehensive forensic medical, medico-criminalistic, and trace evidence analyses.
On September 22, 2025, the Shevchenkivskyi District Court announced the verdict—life imprisonment for Artem Kosov. The defense attempted to have the case reclassified under Article 119 of the Criminal Code, but the court rejected these arguments. In his statement, Kosov noted:
"You can hear on the video that I used obscene language, and I apologize for that. But there are no threats there. And as it is written in the verdict, 'I will beat you,' that is not there."Meanwhile, the father of the deceased, Oleksandr Materukhin, stated that
"here you can hear how he addressed my son and said: Come out."The family's lawyer emphasized that 'Kosov's behavior confirms a hooligan motive,' citing his words: 'I can take down anyone in 6 seconds.'
Thus, the ruling of the Kyiv Court of Appeal upheld the decisions of the previous instances, confirming the life sentence for Artem Kosov for the murder of Maksym Materukhin. This case has drawn significant public attention in Ukraine, highlighting issues of accountability for violent crimes. The finality of this appeal underscores the severity with which the judicial system viewed this act of public violence.
This case draws attention to the problem of youth violence and safety in public spaces. The court's verdict may also serve as a precedent in cases of intentional murder, especially involving individuals with access to authority or performing official duties. Observers call for enhanced security measures and violence prevention to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
The recent court ruling has significant implications for the ongoing legal proceedings surrounding the tragic incident. As the case continues to unfold, the court's decision to re-examine the evidence in Kosov's appeal could potentially alter the course of justice for both the accused and the victim's family.