Five lives were cut short in an instant: what we know about the execution of Ukrainian service members

In the Kharkiv region on October 13, 2026, an unknown assailant opened fire with an automatic weapon and killed five Ukrainian service members. The victims served in the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade named after the Black Zaporozhians. Law enforcement officers are identifying the attacker and searching for others involved in the crime.

The killing was reported by Ukrainska Pravda, citing a comment from Viktoriia Ponomaryova, a police lieutenant colonel and head of the Media Content Department. According to police, information about the crime was entered into the Unified Register of Pre-Trial Investigations under Part 2 of Article 115 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — intentional murder.

According to the Dumka publication, the tragedy occurred in the village of Kutuzivka, Kharkiv district. Journalists said they had confirmation from three independent sources. According to the sources’ preliminary accounts, unknown assailants may have shot the soldiers in a private home where they were recovering after leaving their positions.

There were also reports that another service member was wounded in the village of Momotove, near Kutuzivka. However, further confirmation is needed regarding his affiliation with a specific unit.

The 72nd Brigade confirmed that its service members had been killed. According to the military’s preliminary information, those involved in the incident may be individuals who are believed to be citizens of the Russian Federation. The brigade stressed that efforts to establish the circumstances of the tragedy and find those involved are ongoing, and that further details are not being disclosed for security reasons.

Media outlets have also circulated a theory that the shooting may have been carried out by a Russian service member who escaped from captivity. Reports suggest the man may have been wearing civilian clothes and carrying a backpack and an automatic weapon. However, this theory has not been officially confirmed: law enforcement has publicly stated that it is identifying the attacker, locating him, and checking various accounts of the incident. The investigation is ongoing. Condolences have been extended to the families and loved ones of the deceased.

Earlier, we reported:

• A Chilean shot two Colombians in Mykolaiv: all three were members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ International Legion
• Alcohol, jealousy and an assault rifle: service member suspected of double murder
• Shooting in Kyiv’s Sviatoshynskyi district: one person injured, police conduct special operation
• Unknown assailant stabs a military enlistment office employee in the Odesa region
• In Zaporizhzhia, two service members who had gone absent without leave attacked police officers — one was shot dead, the other detained