The man who attacked the teenager on the funicular is in custody: details

On April 7, an employee of the State Security Office at the capital funicular station Artem Kosov pushed 16-year-old Maksym Materuhin.

The guy fell on the glass, got a fatal cut on his neck and died before the doctors arrived. According to Maxim’s friends, the attacker was intoxicated and began to cling to them while still in the carriage.

The police have opened criminal proceedings, but the friends of the deceased believe that they can help the accused to avoid punishment.

However, in The Kyiv specialized prosecutor’s office in the field of defense claimsthat the attacker was not released and is now behind bars.

“He is being held in custody. A preventive measure is being chosen”– answered “UP. Life” in the special prosecutor’s office.

Law enforcement officers immediately opened criminal proceedings on suspicion of premeditated murder (Part 1 of Article 115 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). The stuntman is in danger from 7 to 15 years imprisonment.

What happened? The story of the witness

The tragedy happened on April 7 on the capital’s funicular. Maksym’s friend told more about her, and the post on Instagram was published by his sister.

Maksym’s friend said that the attacker started attacking their company while still in the train. The teenagers smelled the smoke and decided to ignore the stranger.

However, being ignored angered the man, and he did not stop prying into the teenagers’ conversation.

“We were walking with friends. We had not seen this man before. We all entered the funicular together. We were talking among ourselves. This man was located higher than us and began to interrupt the conversation with words like: “Besiege you”…

Then he turned his attention to Maxim, who looked older and taller than all of us, and said to him: “Will you repay the debt to the Motherland?”. Maksym answered: “When the time comes, I will defend.” To which this man said: “Come on, now you will defend.” Maxim: “Wait, I didn’t tell you anything and I didn’t do anything to you.” Man: “That’s it, let’s see now”– recalls the teenager.

Maksym’s friend says that even then he understood that the stranger was aggressive, so he grabbed the pepper spray that was in his pocket.

When the funicular arrived, the group of friends got out of the car. According to the boy, then the suspect grabbed Maxim by his shirt and pushed him into the glass, and then – fell on him, because he could not stand on his feet due to intoxication.

“He was lying on Maxim and I started spraying this man with pepper spray. When he stood up, I saw that Maxim’s throat was cut. He took a few steps in my direction. I see a terrible sight: the glass completely cut his throat. Then he fell unconscious”– the guy remembers.

People tried to help the teenager, and his friend immediately ran to the watchman to press the red button. The watchman called the police, and the other girl called an ambulance.

One of Maxim’s friends laid down on the intruder, because he “wanted to run away.” Others tried to clamp Maxim’s artery to stop the bleeding. Despite their efforts, the boy did not survive.

“Once Maksym seemed to start breathing, but then he died. Later, the police arrived with an ambulance.

This man detained, he didn’t run away anymore. Marijuana, a service weapon were found with him, besides, he was in a state of alcohol intoxication. But the police said that “to prove it, an examination is needed”– said a friend of the deceased.

Later it turned out that the suspect Artem Kosov worked in the State Security Departmentwhich is subordinate to the president and controlled by the Verkhovna Rada.

“The detained law enforcement officer has already been suspended from performing his duties. His command provides full assistance in conducting urgent investigative actions”– the SBI assures.

However, friends of the deceased believe that the suspect could have been released.

“Kosov was released home, because the law enforcement agencies say that he and Maxim simply lost their balance and fell into the glass, which is NOT true. The criminal must be held accountable for the crime committed.” – said the girl who shared her testimony about the tragedy on Instagram.

At the same time, the Kyiv specialized prosecutor’s office in the field of defense denied the information about the release of the suspect from custody.

He is currently being remanded in custody. And, according to “Ukrainian Pravda”, law enforcement officers will request an arrest without bail.

Meanwhile, the public demands a fair punishment for the perpetrator of the tragedy. She spoke about this, in particular the specialized children’s and youth school of the Olympic football reserve “Zmina”, where Maksym was a student.

“Painful news that cannot be comprehended either by mind or heart. On Sunday, a pupil of our school died tragically. While walking with friends in the center of our city, namely on the Kyiv funicular, Maksym was sneakily attacked by an adult man.

Currently, the mass media are writing a lot of different information, but the fact that a “healthy uncle” attacked a young man in broad daylight is a horror. Our condolences to Maxim’s family and loved ones! Eternal, bright memory and honor”– wrote the sportsman’s educators.

The school also published details for financial assistance to the family.