Teen's murder on Kyiv funicular: a witness declined to testify due to pressure and threats on social media.

During the session of the Shevchenkivskyi District Court in Kyiv regarding the case of 16-year-old Maksym Materukhin, who tragically died in a funicular accident, the court extended the preventive measure for Artem Kosov until March 9 on January 9. The main witness in the case is a minor friend of the deceased, who was present at the scene of the tragedy. However, the young man has refused to testify due to threats he has received on social media.

According to the lawyer for the victim's family, Oleksandr Panchenko, the teenager has already contacted the police and the prosecutor about anonymous threatening messages. Other minor witnesses, including Maksym's friends, have also become victims of intimidation, as reported by "Babel." For instance, an unknown person wrote a comment to the deceased's girlfriend, Marianna, saying: "You'll see Maks soon."

The case involves 21 witnesses, including 7 minors. Six of them were already questioned in August and September, but the last minor witness has yet to provide testimony. The next court hearing is scheduled for February 5.

What is known about the tragedy

The accused in the case of the teenager's murder on the capital's funicular, Artem Kosov, is currently in custody at a military guardhouse. The investigation has established that on April 7, 2024, while under the influence of alcohol and drugs, he began to conflict with passengers on the funicular, including Maksym Materukhin. After a verbal altercation, Kosov pushed the boy, who hit his head on the station's glass. A shard of glass fatally injured Maksym in the neck. Kosov faces life imprisonment on charges of intentional murder.

Maksym Materukhin was born in September 2007 in Kyiv. His family is ordinary: his father Oleksandr works as a manager in a logistics company, and his mother Iryna is a homemaker and raises Maksym's younger brother, Dania.

The boy was energetic and active; he practiced taekwondo, loved football, and dreamed of playing for Kyiv's "Dynamo." If his sports career did not work out, he planned to join the Armed Forces of Ukraine, like his girlfriend's older brother.

On that fateful day, Maksym decided to take the funicular with his friends. During the ride, Kosov began to insult the boy and stated that he would "talk to him after they got off." At the upper station, he initially pushed one of Maksym's friends and then attacked the teenager himself, throwing him against a glass wall. The injuries turned out to be fatal.