The mobile phone of the neutralized shooter has become the key piece of evidence in understanding the horrific terrorist attack that took place in Kyiv’s Holosiivskyi district on April 18, 2026. The device contained an audio recording that captured the entire sequence of events—from a mundane neighborly dispute to the first fatal gunshots. These shocking details were revealed by Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko during a briefing with journalists.
According to the investigation, the mass shooting was preceded by a long-standing domestic conflict. The attacker, Dmytro Vasylchenkov, lived on the fifth floor of an apartment building and had a history of bitter disputes with his neighbor on the sixth floor. On the day of the tragedy, another argument erupted between the two men, which ultimately became their last.
The audio recording, which the shooter intentionally started on his phone’s voice recorder, allowed law enforcement officers to reconstruct the crime minute by minute. The perpetrator initially fired a traumatic pistol outside the building. He then returned to his apartment, armed himself with a legally registered carbine, set his own flat on fire, and walked back out onto the street to shoot bystanders point-blank.
Analyzing the audio proved challenging for experts, as the shooter’s speech consisted of fragmented, incoherent mumbling. However, the voices of several other people can be heard clearly. At one point, a woman demands, «Show the weapon», to which the shooter replies, «I didn’t take anything out, show me where I took out a weapon».
The neighbor, who would soon become the first victim, dismissively says: «Are you going to tell me this nonsense here? I was supposedly repairing something, took the initiative, well, bless you». In response, the shooter mutters aggressively about a «director». According to the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, this was an ironic nickname the victim used for the attacker, which deeply infuriated him.
The situation reached its breaking point when someone asked, «What, did the record get stuck?» Immediately following this remark, Vasylchenkov opened fire.
Police hypothesize that the man did not initially plan to commit a mass shooting. He likely turned on the recorder to protect himself from future legal accusations. He had previously been involved in a criminal case for inflicting minor bodily injuries, which was closed after reconciliation, leaving him without a criminal record. «He was recording this scandal so that he wouldn’t be accused in court… but then he simply snapped», Klymenko suggested.
A major concern for the investigation is how the shooter legally possessed a firearm. Vasylchenkov renewed his carbine license in December 2025, using a medical certificate from a private clinic. While the document was genuine, authorities seriously doubt the thoroughness of the psychiatric evaluation. Consequently, the Ministry of Internal Affairs is now scrutinizing all private medical institutions authorized to issue such certificates.
The tragedy in the Holosiivskyi district claimed the lives of seven innocent people and left over a dozen wounded. Following the attack, public outrage was also directed at the inadequate initial response of patrol officers. In response, Minister Klymenko announced a comprehensive review of police training protocols, emphasizing that patrol units will undergo rigorous combat training at military grounds to prevent such failures in the future.