Dnipro City Council deputy Artem Khmelnykov kicked down the camera of freelance reporter Oleksandr Slavnyi, who wanted to get a comment from the official. The Dnipro Oblast Prosecutor’s Office has opened an investigation into obstruction of legal reporting.
The incident occurred on 21 January before a plenary session in the City Council Hall, Oleksandr Slavnyi reported in a Facebook post and elaborated in a comment to Kateryna Lysiuk, the IMI representative in Dnipropetrovsk oblast.
“I wanted to ask deputy Artem Khmelnykov a question before the start of a Dnipro City Council session. Instead of answering, Artem Khmelnykov behaved aggressively, ripped the camera off the tripod and threw it on the floor,” the journalist wrote.
In the video posted by Slavnyi, the official first tells the journalist, “I’m not answering questions,” and then kicks the camera.
Oleksandr Slavnyi said in the comment to the IMI representative that Khmelnykov gave him no chance to ask his question. The reporter wanted to ask what action the deputy planned to take against officials suspected of embezzling over 14 million hryvnias.
Following the incident, the media professional called the police and filed a statement. He later learned that the data had been entered into the URPI.
The police have opened criminal law proceedings over obstruction of legal reporting (Article 171 Part 1 of the Criminal Code), report the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Prosecutors.
Oleksandr Slavnyi told the IMI representative that Khmelnykov had later told him he was ready for litigation and blamed the journalist for attacking him.
In January 2025, the Dnipropetrovsk oblast police closed the case opened on 23 October 2024 regarding obstruction of reporting (Article 171 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) faced by media worker Oleksandr Slavnyi. The case was opened following the media worker’s statement after he was barred from attending the Dnipro City Council session on 22 October 2024.
