Tragedy on a funicular in Kyiv: a state security officer is sentenced
22 September 2025 16:03
on September 22, 2025, the Shevchenkivskyi District Court of Kyiv announced the verdict against Artem Kosov, accused of the murder of 16-year-old Maksym Materukhin on a cable car in Kyiv. This is reported by hromadske, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
Kosov was sentenced to life imprisonment. In addition, he is obliged to pay 40 thousand hryvnias in court costs associated with the examinations. The decision can be appealed within 30 days.
Positions of the parties in court
- The prosecutor’s office insisted on a life sentence, arguing that it was based on the evidence and the defendant’s behavior in court.
- The defense requested that the charge be changed from “premeditated murder” (Article 115 of the CCU) to “negligent homicide” (Article 119 of the CCU), emphasizing the lack of intent.
- Kosov claimed that he was sorry for the incident and did not plan the murder, calling the incident a “tragic accident”.
Statements and reactions in court
Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko emphasized that Kosov’s remorse came only at the end of the trial, after the evidence had been verified, and considered it irrelevant to the prosecution’s case.
The announcement of the verdict provoked applause in the courtroom, and Maksym’s relatives did not hide their tears. The victim’s mother expressed her gratitude for justice and called the verdict the best gift for her son’s birthday.
Circumstances of the crime
The incident occurred on the evening of April 7, 2024, at the top station of the funicular in Kyiv, near the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and St. Michael’s Monastery.
According to eyewitnesses:
- A group of teenagers were verbally abused by a drunken man who asked them if they were ready to defend Ukraine.
- Maksym Materukhin, the alleged victim, was the last to leave the car when the man approached him and started pushing him.
- He fell, smashed his head on the glass and received a fatal cut to his neck.
- Maksym died on the spot before the ambulance arrived.
The suspect and the investigation
- The suspect was Artem Kosov, an employee of the State Protection Department.
- Investigators found that he was drunk at the time of the crime.
- Kosov pleaded not guilty during the trial.
Public outcry and support
The trial was actively covered by the media, and during the court hearings, activists and concerned citizens came to support the family of the deceased. Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko personally represented the prosecution in court.
This tragic case caused a wide public outcry due to the circumstances: the public place of the murder, the involvement of a state security officer, and the young age of the victim. The incident raised questions about the responsibility of law enforcement officers, respect for the rights and safety of citizens in public places.
The sentence of life imprisonment is one of the harshest punishments in the Ukrainian legal system and emphasizes the seriousness of the crime. It also reflects a trend toward harsh prosecution of violent crimes against minors.
