Shot in the office: the head killed his assistant right at her workplace

In the Bashtanka district of Mykolaiv region law enforcement are investigating a high-profile murder that occurred directly in the starosta’s office of one of the community’s villages. According to preliminary police data, during a conflict the starosta fired a shot from a hunting shotgun at his assistant; the woman died on the spot from the wound.

Police leadership, the investigative-operational team of the district department, investigators from the regional directorate, forensic experts and criminal investigation operatives arrived promptly on the call. The man has been detained in the course of procedural actions, and the weapon has been seized. Preliminary investigative actions are currently underway to establish the full picture of the event and the motives for the crime.

According to local sources and social media posts, this concerns the starosta of Plushchivka — Viktor Prokopchuk, who is allegedly a war veteran. It is reported that the deceased worked as his assistant in the starosta’s office. However, these details have not been officially confirmed by the police.

Activist Bloshko, commenting on the tragedy, said there may have been a long-standing conflict between the starosta and the deceased, and also accused the community leadership of inaction.

“Some sad news in the Bashtanka community… What a pity for the starosta of Plushchivka. Viktor Prokopchuk sent a ‘fiery’ greeting to the mayor of Bashtanka, the underdeveloped Oleksandr Berehovyi, as if from a true starosta and war veteran. Berehovyi mocked the veteran with the help of a local henchwoman. She tormented him, insulted, humiliated, for which she received a salary from Berehovyi, and support, and various material benefits. Vanzhulykha gossiped throughout the village and beyond. The starosta had to restore order by the method he chose from the options available. She reached her logical end in this world. The veteran shot Svetka Vanzhulykha in the head with a hunting shotgun so that she would no longer chatter with her rotten tongue. Yes, this is a crime. She drove the veteran to despair. Obviously, he committed it while in a state of severe emotional disturbance. Such an act should expose all the abuses and negligence of other officials who had been hiding until this event. We will investigate this in detail. Let me say right away that I am on Viktor Prokopchuk’s side. You must not treat patriots with contempt, arrogance and insult…”

Official bodies so far have not confirmed these claims and have not named the participants in the tragedy. The investigation continues; after establishing all the circumstances, a legal qualification will be given to the case.

Previously we wrote:

• In Mykolaiv, a man received 8 years in prison for the murder of his brother
• Dangerous Korabelnyi: shooting with a revolver among apartment blocks
• In a forest near Mykolaiv, a Labrador was shot dead during a walk
• Alcohol and weapons near Voznesensk: rumors about officials ‘hunting’ ended with the injury of Denys Andriiev
• Family quarrel with a grenade: a Mykolaiv man decided to ‘add an explosion’ to his relationship