[54040] Uproar in Kyiv: Man dies after metro staff refused to provide a life-saving defibrillator

Tragedy near 'Politekhnichnyi Instytut' station: Did the metro's refusal cost a human life?

A public outcry has erupted in Kyiv following the death of a man due to cardiac arrest near the 'Politekhnichnyi Instytut' metro station. According to reports by Maria Nazarova and others, metro employees and police refused three times to public requests to bring the defibrillator device out of the station to assist a man who collapsed near the 'Smart Plaza' shopping center.

First aid instructor Natalia Boyko, who performed resuscitation efforts for about 40 minutes, noted that the device was only brought out after the ambulance arrived, when it was already too late. Other eyewitnesses, including Natalia Shmerko, described in Kyiv Operative a sense of disregard and indifference on the part of the security forces at the station, claiming that it is forbidden to remove medical equipment from the station premises.

The Kyiv Metro administration responded to the incident, stating that they are collecting testimonies from all station employees who were present at the scene in order to examine the chain of events. In an official statement published on Grunt, it was reported that the organization intends to update protocols for cooperation with the police and change procedures regarding the use of defibrillators in emergency situations occurring near stations.

The incident sparked sharp criticism on social media, with many questioning why the devices were installed in 2020 if they cannot be used in times of trouble. Reports by 'Suspilne Novyny' noted that Boyko even filed a police complaint for failure to provide assistance to a person in life-threatening condition. The case continues to spark extensive public debate regarding institutional responsibility and the professionalism of staff in Kyiv's public space.