The former head of ME "Kyiv Metro" has been announced a suspicion over the flooding of tunnels

The Podil District Prosecutor’s Office in Kyiv has charged the former head of the Kyiv Metro Municipal Enterprise with improper performance of official duties, which resulted in serious consequences. His actions fall under part 2 of article 367 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

This was reported by the press service of the Kyiv City Prosecutor’s Office.

According to the investigation, due to the former head’s negligence, a tunnel on the Obolonsko-Teremkivska line was de-sealed, leading to cracks in the walls and flooding. As a result, on December 8, 2023, a decision was made to temporarily suspend train traffic between the "Lybidska" and "Demiivska" stations.

During the investigation, a series of examinations were conducted, including fire-technical, metallurgical, computer-technical, and construction-economic. The examination confirmed that the tunnel’s condition does not meet construction standards.

The damages from the former head’s negligence for the period from December 2023 to March 2024 amounted to over 138.5 million hryvnias, and the enterprise lost almost 26 million hryvnias in revenue.

The notice of suspicion was sent to the addresses of official registration and residence of the former head because he did not respond to subpoenas. Measures are currently being taken to establish his whereabouts.

In December 2023, the tunnels between Kyiv metro’s "Demiivska" and "Lybidska" stations were flooded and the ground above them subsided. The accident caused train movement restrictions on certain sections of the "blue line" and full closure of some stations.

The investigation established that the destruction of the tunnel’s structures lasted about 14 years. Responsible officials, despite being aware of the possible consequences, concealed the facts of the structure’s critical condition, which led to the accident in December 2023.

According to Kyiv police data, officials face up to five years of imprisonment for negligence. Earlier, on July 23, two metro officials were charged due to actions that led to the flooding of tunnels between "Demiivska" and "Lybidska".

The Prosecutor’s Office also conducted an examination that disproved the KCSA’s statements about poor quality construction of the tunnels, identifying other causes for the flooding.