The man who on the night of August 20, 2018 shot dead a patrol policeman near the Kharkiv City Council building murdered his wife before the killing. The killer was intoxicated, Kharkiv region's Police Chief Oleh Bekh said.

"Oleksandr Poliakov, born in 1971. We understand he was intoxicated, stressed out and that he shot his wife. The lenses matching those found at the city council building were found at the scene," Bekh said during a briefing in Kharkiv on Tuesday.

According to the police, the shooter was a military serviceman with no prior arrest record. Police are now checking whether he served in "hot spots" and whether he was a sniper.

"His military records have been found. He served in Soviet times. We are determining where," Bekh said, adding that neighbors said the shooter's family was normal and did not have arguments.

"People say Oleksandr was introverted," Bekh said.

As reported, in the early hours of Monday an unidentified man fired near the Kharkiv City Council and wounded a security guard, and then one of the policemen who came on call. The policeman died, despite the efforts of physicians. The employee of the Municipal Protection company is in intensive care at the emergency hospital. His condition is assessed as extremely difficult.

Policemen wounded the gunman from service weapon. He died as a result of injuries.

Criminal proceedings were opened on this fact under Part 2 of Article 115 (premeditated murder) and Article 348 (encroachment on the life of a member of the law enforcement body, a member of the public order for the protection of public order and the state border or a serviceman) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.