A major accident in Kyiv could change the rules for all Ukrainian drivers
17 August 22:42
In the near future, the National Security and Defense Council will review the situation on Ukrainian roads and the accountability of drivers who systematically violate traffic laws. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced this in an evening address on August 17, according to "Komersant Ukrainian"
The catalyst for this new discussion was a high-profile accident in Kyiv involving two BMWs. However, the NSDC meeting will address not only this specific accident but also a systemic problem that allows drivers to violate traffic rules dozens of times, pay fines, and still keep their driver’s licenses.
The president stated that he had discussed the situation with NSDC Secretary Ihor Klymenko. According to Zelenskyy, Ukraine needs to significantly increase the consequences for people who constantly violate the rules and endanger other road users.
The head of state called the Kyiv traffic accident “yet another completely unacceptable incident” and emphasized that the person behind the wheel should have had their driver’s license revoked long ago.
“What’s needed are not cosmetic changes to the rules and penalties, but effective measures,” he said.
According to Zelenskyy, the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council should involve members of parliament, civil society organizations, and government institutions in drafting the relevant changes.
“I expect the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council to involve lawmakers, civil society organizations, and all necessary state institutions in preparing the relevant amendments,” he added.
The President emphasized the need to create conditions under which people’s lives will be protected.
“We must protect every life and create conditions where lives are truly protected,” he noted.
It is expected that lawmakers, civil society organizations, and relevant government agencies will be involved in drafting the proposals. The president has not yet announced the date of the NSDC meeting.
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What Happened on Velyka Vasylkivska Street
The accident occurred on August 17 at approximately 11:30 a.m. on Velyka Vasylkivska Street in Kyiv. A BMW X3 and a BMW X7 collided, after which one of the vehicles veered onto the summer terrace of a restaurant and overturned.
According to preliminary information from the Kyiv police, the 36-year-old driver of the BMW X3 was pulling out from a side street, failed to yield to oncoming traffic as required by the “Yield” and “Keep Right” signs, and collided with a BMW X7 driven by a 31-year-old man.
As a result of the collision, the BMW X3 lost control and veered onto the restaurant’s outdoor terrace. The driver was hospitalized in stable condition. None of the restaurant patrons or passersby were injured.
Police reported that the driver of the BMW X7 was sober. The other driver involved in the accident was to be tested for intoxication.
According to hromadske and “Ukrainska Pravda, ” the BMW X7 was driven by Kirill Ostrovsky. He is known for a fatal traffic accident in 2018 on Lesya Ukrainka Boulevard, in which a 10-year-old girl was killed.
In 2022, the Pechersky District Court of Kyiv sentenced Ostrovsky to 4.5 years in prison.
According to journalists, Bogdan Horodniuk, director of the Football Development Department at the Ukrainian Football Association, was behind the wheel of the BMW X3.
At the same time, it is important to note that in the current accident, police have preliminarily identified the driver of the BMW X3 as the person at fault. In his statement, the president did not specify which of the individuals involved in the accident he was referring to when he spoke of a person who “should have lost the right to drive a long time ago.”
“The person behind the wheel is someone who, to be honest, should have lost their right to drive a long time ago,” he said.
Law enforcement officials are expected to reach final conclusions regarding the causes of the accident and the liability of those involved once the investigation is complete.
What does the petition from the father of the deceased boy have to do with this?
In his address, Zelenskyy mentioned Oleksiy Hlushych—the father of 12-year-old Hryhoriy, who died on June 5, 2026, in a traffic accident near Karavaevy Dachi in Kyiv. Three other people died along with the boy.
“There have been petitions regarding road safety issues, as well as appeals—in particular from Oleksiy Hlushych, the father of a 12-year-old boy who was killed in a traffic accident. We must increase the accountability of those who systematically violate traffic rules and show disregard for human life. And what’s needed are not merely cosmetic changes to the rules and penalties, but effective measures,” he said.
Following the tragedy, Oleksiy Hlushych launched a petition calling for action against habitual traffic violators. It garnered over 26,000 signatures, exceeding the required 25,000.
The petition’s author proposed:
- revoke the driver’s licenses of drivers who systematically violate traffic laws;
- ensuring strict liability for violations that result in loss of life;
- expanding the use of automated violation detection;
- to increase penalties for speeding;
- to implement the principles of Vision Zero;
- publicly report on reductions in traffic fatalities.
The petition notes that the driver, whom investigators have linked to the fatal accident at Karavaevy Dachi, had 39 recorded traffic violations prior to the tragedy.
In his response to the petition, Zelenskyy stated that he had asked National Security and Defense Council Secretary Ihor Klymenko and Prime Minister Serhiy Koretskyi to comprehensively address the issue.
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