Yevheniy Zhukov, the Chief of the Patrol Police Department of Ukraine, has resigned following a controversial incident involving police response to a shooting in Kyiv on April 18. The decision was announced during a press briefing where Zhukov expressed his belief that stepping down was the right course of action.
During the briefing, Zhukov criticized the actions of the patrol officers who arrived at the scene of the shooting but fled after shots were fired. He described their conduct as “unprofessional and disgraceful,” emphasizing that they failed to adequately assess the situation and left injured civilians in danger. “This is a very shameful incident,” he stated, confirming that an internal investigation would be conducted and that all supervising officers would be held accountable for their actions.
The resignation comes amid a broader inquiry into the police’s handling of the incident. Ukraine’s Prosecutor General, Ruslan Kravchenko, announced the initiation of a criminal investigation into the officers’ failure to fulfill their duties during the attack. This investigation is based on Article 367, Part 3 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which addresses official negligence resulting in serious consequences.
A team of prosecutors, led by the Kyiv city prosecutor, is overseeing the investigation, which is being conducted by the State Bureau of Investigations. Kravchenko noted that all actions taken by law enforcement during the critical moments of the attack would receive appropriate legal scrutiny, particularly regarding the abandonment of a minor and the delayed response to the assailant.
In a clarification regarding the incident, Kravchenko also corrected earlier reports about the family of a wounded child, stating that it was the child’s aunt who died in the hospital, not the mother.
Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko has ordered a thorough internal investigation into the police response during the attack and has called for all relevant information to be submitted to the State Bureau of Investigations. Footage circulating on social media purportedly shows officers fleeing from the shooter, leaving civilians exposed to danger.
Yevheniy Zhukov has resigned as head of Ukraine's Patrol Police following a critical incident where officers fled a shooting scene. An internal investigation and a criminal inquiry into police conduct are underway.