Suspect in Odesa Activist’s Murder Detained – Police Probe Contract Killing, Russian Link

[Updated]: Interior Minister Klymenko announced on Telegram that the suspect in the activist’s killing had been detained.

“A weapon was found in the apartment where he was hiding, likely used in the crime,” he wrote.

He added that further details would be provided later.

President Volodymyr Zelensky also addressed the incident, stating on Telegram, “Dozens of investigators, operatives, and forensic experts are working to solve this crime. All the circumstances are being clarified.”

“I have instructed the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Head of the Security Service of Ukraine, and the Acting Prosecutor General to mobilize all necessary resources to establish all the facts,” Zelensky wrote.

The National Police later reported that the suspect in Hanul’s murder is a man born in 1978, though they did not disclose his name.

However, Ukrainian media outlet RBC-Ukraine, citing sources, identified the suspect as Serhiy Shalaev.

According to the police, they received reports of the shooting around 10:30 a.m. The attacker shot the activist, fatally wounding him, before fleeing the scene.

In response, the police, together with the SBU, launched a series of investigative and operational measures. Less than five hours after the murder, the suspect was detained.

“This is a local resident. The police seized a weapon and a grenade from him,” the police statement said.

The SBU later clarified that the suspect is a 46-year-old deserter. Investigators are exploring possible motives, including the possibility of a contract killing or a “Russian-linked” motive.

Law enforcement officers are currently interrogating the suspect, and authorities are determining whether to formally charge him and place him in pre-trial detention.

A man was shot dead in central Odesa on Friday, March 14, according to the Odesa regional police. While the police press service did not immediately name the deceased, Ukrainian media reported that activist Demyan Hanul was the victim.

Law enforcement stated that an unknown assailant shot a pedestrian in the Primorsky district of Odesa. The incident was reported via the 102 hotline around 10:30am.

The attacker fled the scene, and investigators, along with forensic experts from the territorial police unit, are working to determine all circumstances surrounding the crime.

Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko reported on Telegram that an investigative team, led by National Police Chief Ivan Vyhovsky, has been dispatched to Odesa.

“I was informed of the information that has been collected so far. There are specific clues. Police operatives and investigators are working to identify the shooter and detain him,” he wrote.

Klymenko also dismissed reports that the shooter was dressed in a military uniform, urging the public to rely on official sources.

During the government’s question hour in the Ukrainian parliament, he confirmed that the victim shot in Odesa was activist Hanul.

“Regarding the murder of citizen Hanul in Odesa: an investigative and operational group composed of our best personnel has been formed at the central apparatus of the National Police and has already left for Odesa,”  Klymenko said. 

He added, “A National Police regiment has also been dispatched to Odesa... I am taking personal control of the investigation and resolution of this crime.” 

The National Police have opened a criminal case into the murder of the Odesa public figure. The incident has been classified as a premeditated murder carried out on order.

Rumors on social media suggested that the suspect had surrendered to the police. However, the Odesa regional police stated that law enforcement is still working to locate the suspect. 

They have published a photo of the suspect and are asking citizens to provide any information that may help identify him.

Demyan Hanul was a well-known activist from Odesa who supported Ukraine through public actions and by fundraising for the military. He was also noted for his calls to dismantle Soviet monuments, including those dedicated to Russian figures like Empress Catherine.

In July 2024, Hanul shared on Telegram that Russian sources had “leaked” personal information about his relatives online and even offered a reward of up to $10,000 for an attack on him.

He subsequently requested protection from the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).

According to the activist, he began receiving threats after his efforts to defend the honor of the military. Hanul added that he was arrested in absentia in Moscow under several criminal charges.

“During my conscious life, I have been defending the Ukrainian state, engaged in volunteer activities, defending the language, defending the honor and dignity of the Ukrainian military,” he wrote.

In May 2023, Hanul reported being beaten by allegedly “unknown military personnel.”

Additionally, social media has been abuzz with several scandals involving the activist. In 2023, law enforcement stopped his car and discovered a weapon inside, and there were also reports of multiple car accidents involving him.