On Sunday, June 8, Kyiv bid farewell to 12-year-old Hryhoriy-Fedor Hlushych — first in the schoolyard where he studied, then under the vaults of St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery. People brought white fresh flowers, as the family had requested. The boy had just completed sixth grade.
On June 5, around 17:30, at the intersection of Vadym Hetman and Ushynskyi streets in the Solomyansky district, a Mercedes-Benz C300 traveling at high speed left the road and drove into an underground pedestrian crossing. Hryhoriy-Fedor died along with three adults: two police officers — 24-year-old Senior Lieutenant Dmytro Bondarchuk and 21-year-old Lieutenant Denys Budchenko — and a kindergarten worker. Three others were injured.
Who Was Behind the Wheel
The driver was Pavlo Pleshivtsev from Kherson region. According to the investigation, he managed a humanitarian convoy and is a pastor of a Baptist church. Before the accident, he worked in greenhouse farming and drove for a taxi service.
But the main issue is his driving history. The vehicle had 39 recorded traffic violations, most of them for speeding. According to Suspilne, in 2025 alone Pleshivtsev was held accountable five times for speeding and five more times for other violations. In March 2026, he was already involved in a traffic accident without casualties.
"While driving, he showed inattention, chose an unsafe speed, as a result of which he left the road and subsequently hit the underground pedestrian crossing and pedestrians."
Kyiv Prosecutor's Office, court hearing June 8
Court and System Limits
On June 8, the Shevchenko District Court of Kyiv selected a preventive measure for Pleshivtsev — 60 days in custody without the possibility of bail. Prosecutors insisted on this decision, citing risks of flight and pressure on witnesses. According to the 24 channel, his lawyer described his client's emotional state as severe: "he feels hatred toward himself." In court, Pleshivtsev said: "I feel very guilty."
The charge is violation of road safety rules that caused the death of multiple people. Under this article, he faces up to 10 years in prison with deprivation of driving rights for up to 3 years.
Questions Beyond the Driver
Ten administrative penalties in one year — and no mechanism that would have stopped the driver before he got behind the wheel for the tenth time. Ukrainian legislation provides for license revocation for systematic violations, but law enforcement remains inconsistent: fines are paid and the car drives again.
- 39 recorded traffic violations on the vehicle
- 10 administrative penalties in 2025 alone
- A traffic accident without casualties in March 2026 — a warning that didn't work
- 4 deaths on June 5, 2026
If after this case Ukraine does not introduce automatic license revocation after a certain threshold of violations — the next Pleshivtsev will be a matter of time, not chance.
