Court hearing in the murder case of a teenager on the capital’s funicular, September 15, 2025. Suspilne/Stanislav Svirid
As reported by the online media Suspilne.
The Shevchenkivskyi District Court of Kyiv continued the proceedings in the case of the death of 16-year-old Maksym Materukhin at the Kyiv funicular station. The hearing took place on September 15, 2025, in the courtroom.
During the session, the court approved the prosecutors’ motion for the re-interrogation of witnesses and conducted a further interrogation of two individuals; the parties clarified the circumstances of the case.
The defense for the accused asked to review video footage from the funicular capturing the death event, and the court granted this motion.
As part of the proceedings, the court moved to the debate stage: the prosecutor seeks to convict Artem Kosov and sentence him to life imprisonment.
The next hearing is scheduled for September 17 at 11:00.
Timeline of events surrounding the death at the funicular
On April 7, 2024, at the Kyiv funicular station, a tragic event occurred: according to eyewitnesses, after exiting the carriage at the upper station, a man shoved a teenager; the boy fell, struck his head against the glass and sustained a fatal neck wound. The boy died before the arrival of emergency medical services.
The deceased was Maksym Materukhin, a student of the 10-A class at School No. 36 in Kyiv. The testimonies were provided by seven teenagers.
The State Bureau of Investigation (DBR) launched a criminal proceeding. According to the investigation, the participant in the conflict was a driver for the State Protection Directorate. He has been notified of suspicion of intentional murder. The agency also denied information that the suspect is a former State Protection employee; at the time of the incident he was not on duty and was under the influence of alcohol.
On May 5, 2024, investigators completed the pre-trial investigation; materials were handed to the defense for review. On May 29, the indictment against Artem Kosov was submitted to the court. The conclusion was that the murder was motivated by hooliganism; it carries a possible life sentence. The suspect did not plead guilty.
During the proceedings at the Shevchenkivskyi District Court, witnesses were questioned, and the study of video materials began. On August 14, the court extended Kosov’s preventive measure – remanded in custody until October 11 without the right to post bail. The Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko supported the prosecution.
Prospects for the case and consequences
The case is being considered under charges that contemplate aggravated murder with hooligan motives. The proceedings could influence how safety is ensured on urban transport and accountability for similar actions.
More interesting materials:
- Court continues trial of Artem Kosov in the fatal incident of teenager Maksym Materukhin at Kyiv funicular station, with prosecution led by Ukraine’s General Prosecutor Ruslan Kravchenko.
- Preliminary investigation of the Lisbon funicular accident reveals a cable break as the main cause, resulting in 17 deaths and 21 injuries. Rescue and forensic teams continue to analyze equipment and safety measures to prevent future incidents.
- In 2024, a soldier in Lyman, Donetsk region, fatally shot two police officers and two civilians. After extensive investigations, he was sentenced to life imprisonment for multiple crimes including murder and illegal weapon possession.
