On February 22, law enforcement officials in Ukraine announced the arrest of a 33-year-old woman from Kostopil, Rivne region, on suspicion of committing a terrorist act in Lviv. The Office of the Prosecutor General reported that she faces charges under Article 258, Part 3, and Article 263, Part 1 of the Ukrainian Criminal Code, which pertain to terrorism resulting in death and illegal handling of weapons.
The charges are based on substantial evidence indicating the suspect’s involvement in an attack that resulted in the death of a 23-year-old police officer and injuries to over 20 others, according to Nazar Markiv, head of the regional security oversight department.
Investigative actions are ongoing with the suspect, and searches have been conducted at her residences, yielding evidence of illegal activities. Prosecutors are coordinating the investigation and preparing a motion for the court to impose a detention order without the option for bail.
The suspect has not publicly commented on the charges brought against her. The incident that led to her arrest occurred around 12:30 AM on February 22, when police received a report of a break-in at a store on Danilyshyna Street in Lviv. Upon arrival, a patrol police unit was met with an explosion. A second explosion occurred shortly after, as another unit arrived. Preliminary investigations suggest that the blasts were caused by homemade explosive devices.
As a result of the explosions, the police officer who died was identified as Viktoriya Shpylyka, a 23-year-old from Volyn. She had begun her service in the patrol police in Kherson and had been working in Lviv since 2023. In total, 25 individuals were injured in the blasts, the majority of whom were law enforcement personnel, along with some civilians.
A criminal case has been initiated under Article 258, Part 2 of the Ukrainian Criminal Code, concerning terrorist acts with severe consequences. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) is leading the preliminary investigation and has confirmed the arrest of a suspected bomber.
Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko stated that the attack in Lviv is likely linked to Russian orders, although he did not provide specific details regarding the evidence supporting this claim. President Volodymyr Zelensky also noted that several individuals have been detained on suspicion of involvement in the Lviv attack.
Ukrainian authorities have arrested a woman in connection with a deadly terrorist attack in Lviv that killed a police officer and injured over 20 others. Investigations are ongoing, with multiple arrests related to the incident, which officials suspect may have ties to Russian operatives.