17-year-old basketball player Volodymyr Yermakov was killed in Dusseldorf, Germany. He and his friend Artem Kozachenko were attacked with knives.
What is known about the murder of the Ukrainian basketball player Yermakov
Volodymyr and Artem played for the youth team ART Giants (U-19) from Dusseldorf. On the eve of the match, basketball players were attacked.
They attacked with knives on the street simply because they are Ukrainians! - the Ukraine's Basketball Federation statement says.
A group of suspects who may be involved in the crime were identified at the Essen police headquarters.
There are two suspects, 14 and 15 years old, from the cities of Gelsenkirchen and Gerne. At first they were arrested, but later a 14-year-old German with Greek roots was released from custody, as the suspicion against him was not confirmed, writes t-online.
Meanwhile, a 15-year-old German with Turkish roots was taken into custody on grave suspicion of involuntary manslaughter, which police and prosecutors in Essen announced on Monday. He is already known to the police as a "seasoned" criminal.
According to the police, Yermakov and Kozachenko were accompanied by a 14-year-old Syrian from Gelsenkirchen and a 13-year-old German girl with Lebanese roots from Oberhausen. These two teenagers were also seriously injured.
Although, as a spokesman for the Essen police said on February 12, "the background of what happened is still unclear" and "nothing is known about the motive", the police do not believe this was a politically motivated attack.
The investigation is currently ongoing.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine also intervened in the case, which took the investigation of the incident under exceptional control.
The Consulate General in Dusseldorf has already held talks with the Essen police chief. The consuls emphasized the need for the investigation to be carried out as soon as possible and for the criminal to be brought to justice. According to available information, the police have already detained the attacker. Investigations are ongoing. The consular institution is also monitoring the treatment of another injured Ukrainian. He is receiving the necessary medical care at the hospital in Essen. The condition of our citizen is stable, there are no threats to his life, - wrote the spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Oleg Nikolenko.
Oleg Nikolenko
Ukraine's MFA spokesperson
What is known about the Ukrainian basketball player Yermakov
Basketball player Volodymyr Yermakov played in the children's teams "Teivaz" and "5T.EAM-CYSC-12" (Child and Youth Sports College - Ed)." He was a member of Ukraine's youth national team (U-16) and performed at the 2022 European Championship in Bulgaria.
In July 2023, Yermakov and his family moved to Germany due to the war.
Volodymyr also played for Ukraine's youth national team. Together with the U16 team, he participated in the 2022 European Championship in Bulgaria. In July 2023, Yermakov and his family moved to Germany due to the war.
He started playing in the local youth Bundesliga (NBBL) for the "ART Giants" team from Dusseldorf. The fatal incident happened just before the team's next match in the NBBL.
