Officers suspended over claims they fled Kyiv shooting

Ukraine's interior minister said that two police officers had been suspended after a video circulated online showed them fleeing the scene of the shooting in Kyiv in which six people were killed.

A gunman opened fire and took hostages yesterday at a supermarket in the Ukrainian capital's residential district, before being killed during an arrest attempt.

In a video posted by Ukrainian media, two police officers wearing uniforms and yellow vests are seen standing next to a person on the ground before fleeing the scene as gunshots ring out.

"Shameful, unworthy behaviour. This is a disgrace for the entire system. They have been suspended, and an investigation into this is underway," Interior Minister Igor Klymenko said on Telegram.

Mr Klymenko also urged not to "generalise about the entire police force based solely on the actions of two employees".

Police have yet to ascertain the motive behind the shooting -- but Mr Klymenko said the attacker's "mental state was clearly unstable".

"How he obtained the necessary medical certificates to extend his gun permit must be examined," Mr Klymenko added.

He said however that there would be no sweeping checks of gun owners that are legally bound to declare their weapons.

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He vowed to hold "expert discussions with the participation of members of parliament, the public, journalists, and the veteran community" on gun control laws.

Ukraine, which has been fending off Russia's full-scale invasion since 2022, has seen sporadic shooting incidents but has a relatively low crime rate.