Boy left behind

Attack in Kyiv: Video shows fleeing police officers

The shooter from Kyiv fled into this supermarket and was killed there shortly afterward by law enforcement officers.(Bild: AFP/SERGEI SUPINSKY)

Five dead civilians and an attacker killed following a hostage situation at a Kyiv supermarket: That is the tragic toll of a shooting attack on Saturday in the Ukrainian capital. A day later, however, a video raises questions, as it shows two fleeing police officers leaving a boy behind alone...

Following the fatal shooting, investigations are currently underway not only into the circumstances of the crime but also into the police’s conduct. Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko announced the launch of a disciplinary investigation.

Minister calls for more professionalism
“Serving and protecting is not just a slogan,” Klymenko warned on Telegram. This must go hand in hand with professionalism—especially in critical situations when people’s lives are at stake, the minister said.

The shooter responsible for the deaths in Kyiv fled into this supermarket and was killed there shortly afterward by law enforcement officers.(Bild: AFP/SERGEI SUPINSKY)

Boy Left Behind—and Escapes
The video shows two police officers standing next to a young boy, but when the first shots are fired, they simply run away, leaving the child alone. The boy flees shortly afterward and manages to escape. However, in the video recorded by eyewitnesses, a man is seen running away from the shots right next to the boy.

Six dead and more than a dozen injured
The bloody attack, which left at least six dead and more than a dozen injured, has been classified by authorities as a terrorist attack. However, it remains entirely unclear whether the attack had a political motive or a direct connection to the Russian invasion that has been ongoing for four years.

Although the shooter was born in Moscow, he had long held Ukrainian citizenship. The 58-year-old had a permit to possess the weapon used in the attack.