Kidnapped an acquaintance and her baby and opened fire on police: details of the high-profile crime in Zakarpattia

In Zakarpattia Oblast a high-profile crime occurred that nearly ended in an even greater tragedy. As reported by the regional police communications department, on April 14, 2026, the 102 emergency line received a call from emergency medics reporting the abduction of a woman together with a young child. According to preliminary information, the perpetrator was traveling in a Skoda and may have been armed. The incident occurred in one of the settlements of Mukachevo district.

After receiving the alert all police units were directed to search for the suspect. Soon law enforcement located his whereabouts in the neighboring Berehove district. It was there that during the arrest the man began to offer armed resistance.

The Zakarpattia Oblast police described the moment of the attacker’s arrest, who not only fired shots but also tried to use the car as a weapon.

“During the arrest the perpetrator offered armed resistance: he fired a traumatic pistol at the head of one of the police officers and attempted to run over another with his car. Despite the threat to life, the police detained the perpetrator”.

After initial investigative actions, law enforcement reconstructed the chronology of events. According to them, the detainee arrived at the home of his 45-year-old acquaintance from the Mukachevo area. During an argument he put a pistol to her head and forced her into the car together with a 3-year-old child.

The suspect then drove to Berehove district where, investigators established, he tried to kidnap another child — his own grandson. In addition, he inflicted bodily injuries on his daughter. It was at that moment that the abducted woman, taking advantage of the situation, managed to escape from the car with the young child in her arms.

During that conflict the man again used a weapon. However, the police prevented him from leaving the scene and carried out the detention in accordance with Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine.

At present all participants are safe and are cooperating with the investigation. According to the police, the young children sustained no bodily injuries. The wounded officers are receiving necessary medical care and their lives are not in danger.

Investigators have opened two criminal proceedings in connection with this incident — under part 2 of Article 146 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine and Article 348 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. These concern unlawful deprivation of liberty or abduction of a person, as well as an attempt on the life of a law enforcement officer. For the committed crimes the detainee faces a sentence of from 9 to 15 years of imprisonment or life imprisonment.