On the evening of October 14, 2026, a tragic incident occurred on the Kyiv-Chop highway in the Rivne region, claiming the life of a 27-year-old man. What began as a verbal altercation between drivers near a gas station in the village of Zeleny Gai escalated into a car chase and the use of firearms. Law enforcement officers responded swiftly to the emergency and apprehended the suspects within hours.
Chronology of the Conflict and Details of the Road Chase
According to the Rivne Region Police, the incident began at around 18:30 near a gas station in Zeleny Gai village, Dubno district. Previously, a dispute had arisen between a 27-year-old resident of Rivne and a 41-year-old resident of Dubno, after which the opponents agreed to meet in person to sort things out, arriving with their acquaintances. During the conversation, the argument escalated into a scuffle, during which one of the figures damaged the tire of the Volkswagen car in which the opposing party had arrived.
When the victims attempted to leave the scene, the suspects pursued them in a BMW. While moving, one of the perpetrators opened fire from automatic firearms in the direction of the Volkswagen. As a result of the shooting, the 27-year-old Rivne resident sustained two gunshot wounds to the back and died at the scene despite resuscitation efforts.
Large-Scale Special Operation and Detention of Suspects
Following reports of the murder, the head of the regional police launched a special operation to search for the armed perpetrators. Operatives, investigators, Dubno police personnel, the strategic investigations department, criminal analysis, patrol police, and KORD special forces were involved in the search. Law enforcement conducted seven urgent searches, covered 16 kilometers of the surrounding territory, and reconstructed the shooter's route with the help of cynologists.
As a result of the operational measures, law enforcement detained two individuals. First, a 44-year-old Dubno resident who damaged the victims' car tire and inflicted bodily harm on the deceased's companion was intercepted while driving a BMW. Later, around 4:00 AM, in a forest belt near the village of Kryliv, law enforcement detained the 41-year-old Dubno resident who had been hiding and was the direct shooter.
Legal Qualification of the Crime and Further Procedural Steps
The detained individuals are held under Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine. Investigators, under the procedural guidance of the prosecutor's office, are conducting pre-trial investigations under three articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine: Part 1 of Art. 115 (premeditated murder), Part 4 of Art. 296 (hooliganism committed with the use of firearms), and Part 1 of Art. 263 (illegal handling of weapons, ammunition, or explosives).
The issue of officially notifying the suspects of suspicion and choosing a measure of restraint in the form of detention is currently being resolved. This case has added to the list of high-profile incidents involving weapons in the country, demanding strict control over arms trafficking and prompt responses by law enforcement structures to road conflicts.
