Documents violence — written to inform, not to shock.
On 31 July 2018, at around 8:30 am, an unknown assailant poured sulfuric acid on Ukrainian activist Kateryna Handziuk as she walked to work near her home in Kherson. The attack left burns covering more than 40% of her body, affecting her back, head, hand, and eyes. She was placed in the intensive care unit of a regional hospital in a state of shock. On 1 August 2018 she was transported by air ambulance to Kyiv and placed under state protection. Handziuk died on 4 November 2018; the official cause of death was recorded as multiple organ failure and chemical burns involving 39% of her body resulting from the chemical attack.
The criminal investigation underwent several reclassifications. It was initially opened as hooliganism, then reclassified as intentional grievous bodily harm committed to intimidate the victim, then as attempted murder with particular cruelty, and — following the efforts of Handziuk's lawyer, Yevheniia Zakrevska — as an assassination attempt. After her death, the case was reclassified again as premeditated murder.
Handziuk distrusted the Kherson police, suspecting their possible involvement, and instead gave testimony to operatives of the Department of Strategic Investigation at the Kyiv Burn Center on 2 August 2018. Ukraine's prosecutor general, Yuriy Lutsenko, took personal control of the investigation, and authorities circulated a sketch of the attacker along with a reward for information. On 3 August 2018, Interior Minister Arsen Avakov announced the arrest of a suspect, Nikolai Novikov; he was later found not to have been involved in the crime.
On 17 August 2018, two men — Vladimir Vasyanovich and Sergey Torbin — were detained as suspected accomplices in organizing the attack. Prosecutors also named several other individuals as accomplices. All of those implicated were described as former combat participants in the Donbas region and scouts of the fifth battalion of the Ukrainian Volunteer Army. On 21 August 2018, a Kherson court ordered Vasyanovich and Torbin held without bail for 60 days.
The investigation later implicated more senior figures. On 11 February 2019, Vladyslav Manger, head of the Kherson Regional Council, was named a suspect in organizing the murder; he was arrested on 15 February 2019 with bail set at ₴2,497,000, and was later suspended from his position and required to wear an electronic tracking device. In January 2020, searches were conducted at the homes of regional officials, and Igor Pavlovsky, a former aide to a member of parliament, was detained as a suspect in organizing the murder.
In June 2023, Manger was found guilty of ordering the attack, and his assistant, Oleksii Levin, was found guilty of arranging it. Each received the maximum sentence for the offense — 10 years in prison — and both were ordered to pay ₴15 million ($406,000) in compensation to Handziuk's husband and parents.
Key facts
- Victims
- Kateryna Handziuk
- Date
- 2018
- Location
- Kherson, Ukraine
- Case status
- solved
Case timeline
2018-07-31
An unknown assailant poured sulfuric acid on Kateryna Handziuk near her home in Kherson at around 8:30 am.
2018-08-01
Handziuk was airlifted to Kyiv and placed under state protection.
2018-08-02
Handziuk testified to Department of Strategic Investigation operatives at the Kyiv Burn Center, having distrusted the Kherson police.
2018-08-03
Interior Minister Arsen Avakov announced the arrest of suspect Nikolai Novikov, who was later found not to have been involved.
2018-08-06
The Kherson City Court ordered detention as a preventive measure for the initial suspect.
2018-08-17
Vladimir Vasyanovich and Sergey Torbin were detained as suspected accomplices in organizing the assassination attempt.
2018-08-21
The Kherson city court ordered both men detained for 60 days without bail.
2018-11-04
Kateryna Handziuk died from multiple organ failure and chemical burns covering 39% of her body.
2019-02-11
Vladyslav Manger, head of the Kherson Regional Council, was named a suspect in organizing the murder.
2019-02-15
The Shevchenkivskyi Court of Kyiv arrested Manger, setting bail at ₴2,497,000.
2019-03-06
A Shevchenko district court suspended Manger from his duties and later required him to wear an electronic tracking device instead of custody.
2020-01-20
Searches were conducted at the homes of Kherson regional officials; Igor Pavlovsky was detained as a suspect in organizing the murder.
2023-06
Vladyslav Manger was convicted of ordering the attack and Oleksii Levin of arranging it; each was sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined ₴15 million in compensation.
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People
Kateryna Handziuk
VICTIMUkrainian activist attacked with sulfuric acid on 31 July 2018; died 4 November 2018 from chemical burns and organ failure.
citation on file
Sergey Torbin
CHARGEDDetained 17 August 2018 as a suspected accomplice in organizing the assassination attempt.
citation on file
Vladimir Vasyanovich
CHARGEDDetained 17 August 2018 as a suspected accomplice in organizing the assassination attempt.
citation on file
Oleksii Levin
CONVICTEDAssistant to Vladyslav Manger; convicted in June 2023 of arranging the murder and sentenced to 10 years in prison.
citation on file
Nikolai Novikov
CHARGEDArrested 3 August 2018 as initial suspect in the attack; later found not to have been involved in the crime.
citation on file
Igor Pavlovsky
CHARGEDFormer aide to a member of parliament; detained in January 2020 and named a suspect in organizing the murder.
citation on file
Vladyslav Manger
CONVICTEDFormer head of the Kherson Regional Council; convicted in June 2023 of ordering the murder and sentenced to 10 years in prison.
citation on file
Places
Common questions
- What happened to the victim?
- Ukrainian activist Kateryna Handziuk died of chemical burns after an acid attack outside her home in Kherson on 31 July 2018; the case remained unsolved until 2023, when two men were convicted of organizing and arranging her murder.
- Where did the murder happen?
- Kherson, Ukraine.
- Who was convicted?
- Oleksii Levin (Assistant to Vladyslav Manger; convicted in June 2023 of arranging the murder and sentenced to 10 years in prison.) and Vladyslav Manger (Former head of the Kherson Regional Council; convicted in June 2023 of ordering the murder and sentenced to 10 years in prison.).
- What is the current status of the case?
- Status: solved.
Sources
- Murder of Kateryna Handziukwikipedia · Wikipedia · 2026-07-07
- Contemporaneous coverage of the attack on a Kherson officialnews · rbc.ua · 2026-07-07
- Additional legal classification appears in the case of the attack on Kherson mayor's adviser Handziuknews · hromadske.ua · 2026-07-07
