High-profile drivers: Investigating the top 5 high-profile traffic accidents in Ukraine.
The outgoing year 2024 has been marked not only by the deaths and injuries of people in Ukraine due to the full-scale war with Russia, but also by an increase in the number of road accidents. From January to August, approximately 17,000 traffic accidents occurred involving fatalities and injuries, which is an 11% increase compared to the same period in 2023, witness data from "Opendatabot".
The main causes of these tragedies are speeding, violations of maneuvering rules, and disregarding traffic signals at intersections. About 2,000 people have died on the roads, and nearly 21,000 have been injured. The most accident-prone regions are Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Odesa regions. In the latter region, the number of accidents has surged by a record 40%, while the number of fatalities has increased by 70%.
According to data from the research organization World Population, the situation on the roads in Ukraine is not the worst. The Dominican Republic tops the list for traffic deaths per 100,000 population with a rate of 65 victims. Following it is the African country Zimbabwe (41 individuals).
Ukraine ranks 123rd with a rate of 10 deaths, which is considered "moderately low". The situation is worse in Romania, Albania, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, but in other European countries, the road mortality rates are significantly lower than in Ukraine.
Accident in Dnipro: Son of a wealthy businessman hits pedestrians
In Dnipro, on December 1, a BMW driver struck pedestrians on one of the city’s central streets. In the dark, they were crossing the road at a crosswalk while the traffic light was not functioning.
Police reported that the accident occurred at 19:45 on Zavodskaya Embankment without the involvement of pedestrians: the BMW crashed at full speed into a Ford.
1 As a result of the collision, a 10-year-old girl died in the Ford, and four others, including two children and two adults (the driver and a passenger), sustained serious injuries. The BMW driver was detained and faces up to eight years in prison.
It was later revealed that the BMW was driven by Arseniy Bessonov, the son of local businessman Oleg Bessonov, who is accused of involvement in shadow schemes with fake individual entrepreneurs. Just recently, the businessman himself was involved in an accident but was found not guilty.
Nikolay Kharkovsky received a prison sentence
The perpetrator of a high-profile fatal accident in Kharkiv received an 8-year prison sentence and is also required to pay 1 million hryvnias to both children of the deceased. The accident occurred on October 26, 2021, but due to the scandalous behavior of the suspect, it remains relevant.
At the time of the accident, 16-year-old Nikolay Kharkovsky was driving an Infinity Q50, ran a red light, and crashed at full speed into a Chevrolet Aveo driven by a 58-year-old man.
2 Kharkovsky intentionally sped up to get through the red light. After the collision, he provided an incorrect address and attempted to leave the hospital but was detained by police.
During a break in one of the court hearings at the Chervonozavodsky District Court of Kharkiv, the teenager cynically commented on the deceased driver. The daughter of the deceased driver asked Nikolay why he was smiling at her, to which Kharkovsky replied: "You should drive less when drunk."
Threatened with connections to "Okean Elzy": Mersedes driver almost ran over pedestrians in central Kyiv
Dmitry Rysich, the driver of a Mersedes SUV owned by brand owner One by One, Lydia Smetana, nearly hit pedestrians on Saksahanskoho Street in central Kyiv around 22:00 on October 10. According to the perpetrator, he "got into a dispute with another driver" at a traffic light and lost control.
The victims reported that Rysich did not bother to inquire about their well-being, offered a bribe, and was confident that he would be "let off because he is connected to the band Okean Elzy." A similar detached attitude towards the incident was exhibited by Smetana, who arrived at the accident scene.
3 It was later revealed that the driver had no ties to "Okean Elzy". The victims stated that the first police unit on the scene recorded the accident, reviewed the surveillance footage, but refused to write a report or take statements. The police did not record the victims' information and did not immediately check the driver for signs of intoxication, promising to do so later.
If the severity of the inflicted bodily injuries is determined to be moderate, the driver could face criminal charges; otherwise, he would only face administrative penalties.
Military man did not see the wild boar: member of the Ministry of Strategic Industries team died with wife in an accident
On the night of September 8, Yaroslav Oleynik, one of the first members of the new team of the Ministry of Strategic Industries and Manufacturing, died in a car accident. His wife, Nina, also perished in the incident. Oleynik joined the ministry's team last summer after serving on the front lines. He was responsible for working with drone manufacturers.
Oleynik, known by the call sign "Loki," joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine in 2017, serving as a drone operator in aerial reconnaissance units. He participated in battles against Russian forces in Kyiv, Chernihiv, and Kharkiv regions. He trained military personnel to operate drones.
4 Details about the accident are scarce. However, media found out that it occurred around 23:50 in the Zhytomyr region. The military, driving a Mitsubishi L-200, accidentally struck a wild boar lying on the road, losing control.
Subsequently, the military veered into oncoming traffic and collided with a Mitsubishi Pajero, in which Yaroslav Oleynik was traveling with his wife. They died at the scene from their injuries, while the driver of the Mitsubishi L-200 was taken to the hospital. The outcome of the investigation is unknown.
Traffic accident in Rivne region with 14 fatalities
On July 6, 2024, a fuel truck collided with a minibus in the Rivne region, resulting in 14 passenger deaths. The youngest victim was just 6 years old; his parents also died in the accident, leaving only a 57-year-old grandmother alive.
Law enforcement is considering the following causes of the accident: damage to the truck's wheel, allowing a malfunctioning truck on the road, driver inattention, and violation of traffic rules.
5 The truck belonged to a business entity, and law enforcement is examining the documents under which the vehicle was permitted for transportation. Eighteen expert examinations have been appointed as part of the investigation, and there is currently no information on the punishment for those responsible for the accident or the progress of the proceedings.
What is the problem with road accidents?
Ukrainian law enforcement agencies typically conduct thorough investigations into the causes of traffic accidents and identify those responsible, believes former traffic accident investigation department employee, lawyer Viktor Chevguz.
If a high-profile accident occurs, the case will not be closed easily due to its scandalous nature and public significance.
Much in the investigation depends on the accident's results: the severity of bodily injuries or fatalities, and whether the participants were under the influence of alcohol or drugs. All these facts are established by forensic experts.
Those responsible for traffic incidents often manage to obtain leniency in court, but by law, they have the right to legal representation. Influence on the investigation and judges is not excluded: in Ukraine, the reality is that much depends on the social status of the offender.
Recall that in occupied Mariupol, a truck driver managed to stop a column of Russian military vehicles heading towards the Kurakhove direction.
In Mexico, a bizarre incident occurred on the road: a truck overturned, spilling 25 tons of beer cans. Bystanders reacted immediately, quickly picking up cans while taking boxes with them.