Suspect in the murder of Hanul has had his arrest extended: details of the case and versions of the investigation.

The suspect in the murder of activist Dmytro Hanul, Serhii Shalaiev, had his detention period extended. According to the court's decision, he will remain in custody until September 15.

This was reported to journalists by the military prosecutor's office.

Extension of detention

The next hearing in the case of Serhii Shalaiev, who is suspected of murdering activist Dmytro Hanul, took place in a closed format at the Kyiv District Court in Odesa. The court granted the prosecutor's motion and extended his detention until September 15.

The Hanul case

On the morning of March 14, 2025, activist Dmytro Hanul was murdered in Odesa. Just a few hours later, police detained the suspect - 46-year-old senior lieutenant Serhii Shalaiev. A weapon, presumably used in the crime, was found in the apartment where the suspect was hiding. He is charged with intentional murder and illegal possession of weapons.

The police are considering several versions of motives: personal revenge, professional activities of the deceased, or even a possible involvement of special services. Dmytro Hanul was known for his fight against pro-Russian narratives and his participation in the dismantling of Soviet monuments, which led to him receiving threats on numerous occasions.

What is known about Shalaiev

Serhii Shalaiev never served in the 28th brigade, as was initially reported, but he had combat experience since the ATO (Anti-Terrorist Operation) times. In his youth, he worked as a private security guard. He claims that until the last moment, he was confident that he was communicating with representatives of the SBU (Security Service of Ukraine), who promised him a position after completing the 'job', and that Dmytro was a traitor. According to the investigation, the suspect received the order only at the final stage, but he was observed in a cafe in February, which Hanul frequented. He was not the only one monitoring the activist's movements. Shalaiev received the weapon in a package from a person who arrived from another city.

Recently, we wrote about how Serhii Shalaiev could have been recruited. Also about the fact that activist Hanul was repeatedly threatened.