A series of explosions have been reported at a courthouse in Kyiv as emergency services and special response police units are arriving on the scene.
According to immediate information from local media, the suspect is Igor Gumenyuk, an alleged terrorist who is accused of an attack near the Verkhovna Rada in 2015. The attack is reported to be occurring at the Shevchenkivskyi District Court in the central-western part of the city.
“At the moment, an investigative and operative group, special forces, explosives experts and dog experts are working on the spot. The information will be updated,” Ukraine’s Ministry of Internal Affairs stated.
Initial reports suggest that he managed to detonate an explosive or series of explosives and take his security escort hostage while on the way to a court hearing. Video from inside the courthouse records at least 2 loud bangs which the people suppose are gunfire.
An explosion is reported at the Shevchenko district courthouse in #Kyiv, #Ukraine. Emergency service on scene. pic.twitter.com/oFk2y3b6oB
— MikeReports (@mikereports) July 5, 2023
More information will be provided as it becomes available.
UPDATES: A second explosion has been reported inside the courthouse. Police special response units have been seen on video approaching the building but it is unconfirmed what caused this second detonation.
2 people have been removed from the building on stretchers for medial care. The two are reportedly members of law enforcement. The wounds and severity is unclear. Multiple online sources including local media claim that police special response units have begun their operation to arrest or eliminate the suspect.
Minister of Internal Affairs Igor Klymenko has arrived on the scene.
Judge-speaker Irina Frolova told Ukrainian news agency “Gratam” that it was Humenyuk who caused the blast, but his lawyer Oleksandr Svyridovskyi, who was present at court, told media that there were multiple others in the courtroom and it was not certain that Humenyuk had caused the explosion.
“The offender died at the scene. According to preliminary information, he blew himself up. During the storming of the building, two KORD soldiers were injured. Their lives were saved by the shields with which the special forces moved,” Klymenko announced via social media at 7:56pm local time.
At least 2 people have been evacuated from the building on stretchers pic.twitter.com/udFdwKQH34
— MikeReports (@mikereports) July 5, 2023
