Murder of Deputy Sobolev's Son: Investigators Name the Organizer

The man is being prepared to be placed on international wanted list.

The Kyiv Prosecutor's Office and investigators of the capital's police have established who could have organized the attempted contract killing of local deputy Viacheslav Sobolev, in which his 3-year-old son died. Investigators consider the likely organizer to be a 25-year-old native of Russia.

According to investigators, the likely organizer and the perpetrator met at one of the shopping centers in Kyiv. The Russian offered $40,000 for the murder of deputy Sobolev.

The perpetrator agreed and received information about the victim from the organizer, including his home and work addresses, details of his lifestyle, as well as a firearm, transport and money for other expenses — renting a garage to store the weapon, and so on.

Law enforcement believes the likely organizer and perpetrator communicated via Telegram, and before the contract was carried out the Russian left Ukraine to provide himself with an alibi.

Then the perpetrator, taking an accomplice with him, chose a location for the murder — near a restaurant in central Kyiv that the deputy often visited. On the evening of December 1, when Sobolev, his wife and 3-year-old son got into the car, the perpetrator fired a shot, but hit not the deputy but the child, who died.

The Kyiv prosecutor's office has already served the Russian with a notice of suspicion of organizing a contract killing under Part 2 of Article 15, paragraphs 11 and 12 of Part 2 of Article 115 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The issue of placing him on international wanted list is being decided.

Investigators also continue to establish who commissioned the crime.

Earlier, the Shevchenkivskyi District Court remanded in custody for 2 months without the right to bail the suspect in the murder of 3-year-old son of deputy Viacheslav Sobolev.