Petro Poroshenko hails Patrol Police Chief’s resignation as rare display of military honor after Kyiv shooting

Petro Poroshenko calls for all security officials to follow Yevheniy Zhukov’s example of honor after his resignation over the Kyiv shooting.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 20, 2026, 8:32 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Interfax-Ukraine

A High Profile Resignation in the Capital

The fallout from the Holosiivskyi district mass shooting has transitioned into a political and administrative crisis with the resignation of Yevheniy Zhukov, the long-standing Head of the Patrol Police Department. Zhukov, widely known by his call sign "Marshal," stepped down on Sunday, April 19, 2026, citing the "unprofessional and unworthy" conduct of his subordinates during the previous day’s terror attack. His departure marks the first major administrative casualty of an incident that saw six civilians killed and multiple others injured in a residential neighborhood of the capital.

Poroshenko Calls for Systemic Accountability

People’s Deputy and European Solidarity party leader Petro Poroshenko weighed in on the resignation on Monday, framing Zhukov's departure as a standard-setting moment for the Ukrainian state apparatus. Through a statement on Facebook, Poroshenko asserted that Zhukov’s willingness to take responsibility for the failures of his unit is a rare example of integrity that should be emulated across all branches of the security services. The former president emphasized that while Zhukov has demonstrated the "act of an Officer," he believes many other current security officials continue to evade accountability for operational lapses.

The Combat Legacy of Marshal

The relationship between Poroshenko and Zhukov dates back to 2014, when Zhukov emerged as a key military figure during the initial defense of Eastern Ukraine. As the commander of a reconnaissance company within the 79th Brigade, Zhukov played a celebrated role in the defense of Donetsk Airport, earning a reputation as one of the "Cyborgs." Poroshenko highlighted this decade-long history, noting that Zhukov successfully translated his battlefield honor into the civilian Patrol Police force, which he had led and shaped for 11 years prior to this week’s sudden resignation.