The Ukrainskaya Metelitsa (literally "Ukrainian Blizzard"), the first round of the 2012 Ukrainian Ice Track Racing Championship was held on the Kharkiv Hippodrome on 12 February of that year. One of the drivers taking part on that event was Sergiy Khokhlov, who raced in Evheniy Kazakov’s VAZ VAZ-2109 numeral 45.

During that race Khokhlov's car was hit from behind by another vehicle, left the track and hit two female spectators, Irina Demchenko and Yana Sukhotskaya. The VAZ then crashed into a private Dodge and overturned. Irina Demchenko died shortly later in a hospital. Khokhlov, physically unharmed but in emotional distress, was also transported to a hospital.

R.I.P