Russian-Born Gunman Kills 6 in Kyiv Mass Shooting Before Police Kill Him

A Russian-born gunman killed six people and wounded 14 others in a mass shooting in Kyiv, Ukraine on Saturday before special tactical police units shot him dead following a hostage standoff at a supermarket, authorities said.

The 58-year-old attacker, who was not named by police, opened fire with an automatic weapon in the busy Holosiivskyi district of Ukraine's capital. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the gunman was born in Russia and had lived in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region for an extended period.

"The assailant has been neutralized. He had taken hostages and, tragically, killed one of them. He also murdered four people on the street. Another woman died in the hospital due to severe injuries," Zelenskyy said in a video statement.

The attack began after the gunman set fire to an apartment before taking to the streets with his weapon, according to Zelenskyy. Bodies covered with emergency blankets littered a crowded street outside an apartment block and shopping center as bystanders fled for safety.

Police stormed the convenience store after negotiations with the gunman failed, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said. The hostages included supermarket customers and staff.

"We tried to persuade him, knowing that there was likely a wounded person inside. We even offered to bring in tourniquets to stop the bleeding, but he did not respond," Klymenko said. "Consequently, the order was given to neutralize him."

Ukraine's security service labeled the killings an act of terrorism. The gunman held a valid weapons permit and had a prior criminal record, officials said.

The mass shooting marked an unprecedented incident in wartime Kyiv, which has endured Russia's full-scale invasion since 2022 but has not experienced this type of civilian violence.

Neighbors described the attacker as a reclusive figure who kept to himself. "I knew him by sight. He seemed like an educated, refined man. You'd never guess he was some kind of criminal," said 75-year-old Hanna Kulyk, who lived in the same apartment building. "He didn't socialize much with people — just a greeting and he'd be on his way. He lived alone."

The attack raises questions about internal security in Ukraine as the country continues its defense against Russian forces. Authorities have not disclosed a motive for the violence, though the gunman's Russian birth and criminal background will likely factor into the ongoing investigation.

This is a developing story and will be updated.