Preventive Measure for Mykhailo Drobnytskyi
An appeals court in Kyiv has decided to keep former patrol officer Mykhailo Drobnytskyi in custody. He is suspected of negligence that contributed to fatalities during a shooting incident in the capital. On April 21, the Pechersk District Court of Kyiv ordered the arrest of Drobnytskyi and his partner, Anna Dudina, setting bail at 266,000 hryvnias—a sum that was paid the very next day. However, on May 26, the appellate court dismissed the appeal filed by Drobnytskyi and his legal representative.
Drobnytskyi was officially discharged from the police force on May 19. Meanwhile, the court has yet to rule on the appeal concerning Dudina's preventive measure. The attacker, who carried out the assault on April 18 in Kyiv's Holosiivskyi district, killed six people, including a 12-year-old boy who lost both parents. The perpetrator, a 58-year-old native of Moscow, initially argued with a neighbor and shot him with a traumatic pistol. He then barricaded himself inside a supermarket, taking hostages. At the same time, a fire broke out in the apartment where the attacker was registered. He was neutralized during a raid by the KORD special forces unit.
Reactions and Aftermath of the Attack
Police General Yevhenii Zhukov resigned from his post as head of the Patrol Police Department. The National Police launched an internal investigation into officers' actions during the incident, leading to the suspension of two patrol officers pending review. Additionally, criminal proceedings have been initiated regarding the alleged failure of police personnel to properly perform their duties.
Lawyer Mykhailo Bakhovskyi, commenting on the appellate court's decision, stated: 'My arguments were that the suspicion is not specific. It does not describe which exact protocol the officers violated. The suspicion is premature; expert examinations have not been conducted, and investigative experiments have not been analyzed. The decision was upheld. I can be dissatisfied a hundred times, but it is a court ruling, and I respect it.'
This case has sparked significant public outcry. Prosecutors have reported that the killer had long prepared for the mass shooting, practicing rapid weapon readiness and precision shooting. The circumstances of the attack are still under investigation.
The probe into this incident highlights the serious challenges facing Ukrainian police amid heightened criminal activity. The internal investigation and criminal cases against officers who may have failed in their duties reflect efforts to ensure accountability and prevent similar tragedies in the future. The situation surrounding the attack and its consequences continues to be closely monitored by the public and law enforcement agencies.