[62133] 7-year prison sentence for driver who caused the death of a National Guard soldier in 2023

Sentence in the fatal hit-and-run case at a Kyiv checkpoint

The Sviatoshynskyi District Court in Kyiv convicted and sentenced a driver to 7 years of actual imprisonment for causing the death of a National Guard soldier at a military checkpoint on July 25, 2023. According to reports from the Kyiv City Prosecutor's Office, the driver, who was 23 at the time of the accident, was driving during curfew hours on Beresteiskyi Avenue at a speed of at least 134.52 km/h — a speed twice the limit permitted on that road segment.

According to reports in Українська правда and ХК 🇺🇦 Київ, the driver ignored the "STOP - Inspection" warning signs posted at the checkpoint, did not slow down, and struck two soldiers who were standing at the location. As a result of the accident, one soldier was killed on the spot, and his colleague sustained moderate injuries. After hitting the soldiers, the driver continued and collided with two additional vehicles that were parked near the checkpoint.

In a detailed report by Цензор.НЕТ, it was noted that in addition to the prison sentence, the driver was banned from driving for 3 years. The case received widespread coverage in Ukrainian media, including hromadske and 24 Канал, which emphasized the severity of the offense due to the curfew violation and excessive speed in a sensitive area.

Parallel to this case, the UA Stream channel reported separately on another incident in the Ivano-Frankivsk region, where a sergeant in the air defense command was put on trial for "falling asleep" during an air raid alert and failing to carry out interception orders, which illustrates the increased activity in the Ukrainian military and civil justice system regarding issues of negligence and responsibility during the war.