Kyiv horror unfolds: Gunman kills 6, takes hostages — Ukraine launches probe

Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko, quoted by the BBC, said the attacker, a local resident, began shooting at people on the street before taking several others hostage inside a nearby supermarket.

According to reports, the gunman was killed in a shootout with police.

The motive behind the attack remains unclear.

President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the incident on his X account, stating that 14 people were injured in the attack.

“The attacker was eliminated. He took hostages and, tragically, killed one of them. He shot dead four more people right on the street, and another woman later died in hospital from her injuries. My condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims,” Zelensky wrote.

He added that four hostages had been rescued and warned that the number of injured could rise as more people seek medical attention.

Zelensky also noted that a 12-year-old child was among the injured.

Providing further details, he said the attacker had set fire to an apartment before carrying out the shooting. The suspect had a prior criminal record, had lived for a long time in the Donetsk region, and was born in Russia.

Authorities are continuing to investigate the attacker’s background and the motive behind the incident.