05 July 2026
(Photo: Mykolaiv Regional Police)
Police have charged a 45-year-old Nissan Murano driver following a traffic accident that killed 12 people. According to investigators, the man caused the accident by driving in his own lane toward a minibus.
This was reported by the press office of the Mykolaiv Regional Police.
The accident killed the 49-year-old driver and 11 passengers of the minibus. Six more people remain in hospitals under medical supervision. Among the injured is a 15-year-old girl.
According to police, the driver of a Nissan Murano was traveling in the oncoming lane relative to the minibus and caused the accident.
After the accident, law enforcement officers located the vehicle and stopped it on the outskirts of Mykolaiv. A 45-year-old resident of another region was behind the wheel.
The SUV driver was taken into custody. On July 5, investigators informed him that he was suspected of violating traffic laws, resulting in the deaths of several people.
The man faces up to ten years in prison. The court may also revoke his driver’s license for up to three years.
The court is expected to determine a pretrial measure for the suspect in the near future. The investigation is ongoing, and law enforcement officials are establishing all the circumstances of the fatal accident.
In Mykolaiv, Sunday, July 5, was declared a Day of Mourning following a traffic accident that killed 12 people. Among the victims were employees of “Mykolaivelektrotrans” and their relatives.
“This is a great loss for their families, for the company’s staff, and for our entire city,” the Mykolaiv Regional State Administration reported.
A report that a traffic accident had occurred on the “Odesa-Melitopol-Novoazovsk” highway between the villages of Krasne and Nechayane was received on July 4 at approximately 7:40 a.m.
According to preliminary information, the driver of a Mercedes Sprinter minibus—which was traveling from Odesa to Mykolaiv with passengers on board—veered off the road, causing the vehicle to roll over and veer uncontrollably into the oncoming lane, where it collided with a Volvo truck.
Ірина Глухова