Ukraine investigates anniversary explosion that killed military aide

Ukrainian prosecutors announced Tuesday that they had opened an investigation into a bizarre explosion during a birthday celebration that killed an aide to Ukraine’s top military commander in what authorities portrayed as a tragic accident.

The Special Prosecutor’s Office of Ukraine’s Central Region said the aide, Major Gennadiy Chastyakov, had returned to his home on the outskirts of Kiev on Monday with birthday gifts from colleagues, including a box of six grenades. The prosecutor’s office said one of the grenades was picked up by the major’s son.

While taking the grenade from the boy, the officer “pulled the ring, causing the explosion.” The office reported this in a statement.

Prosecutors said Major Chastyakov, an aide to General Valery Zaluzhny, commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian army, was killed on the spot by the explosion. The blast also seriously injured the major’s 13-year-old son and slightly injured the major’s 11-year-old daughter, she added. There was no explanation as to why someone would give the large grenades as a gift or why he would have pulled the ring.

“Based on the information collected so far, we can say that it was indeed an unfortunate accident, a result of careless handling of the ammunition,” said Maryana Reva, spokeswoman for the Ukrainian Minister of Internal Affairs. told national television on Tuesday.

Still, the peculiar nature of the episode was the impetus some on social media to wonder if it had really been an accident, leading to speculation that the assistant had been killed. Ukrainian authorities have refrained from portraying the death as a potential murder or linking it to the Russian war in Ukraine, but Ms Reva acknowledged: “It is not excluded that this case will be requalified based on the collected evidence.”

The prosecutor’s office said police identified the soldier who gave the gift and searched his office and found two other similar grenades.

The episode came at a delicate time for the Ukrainian military, whose forces are currently engaged in inconclusive fighting with Russian forces. Amid the lack of progress, Tensions have also come to light between Ukraine’s military and civilian leaders.

Ukrainian media initially reported this that Major Chastyakov’s wife told police that the explosion had occurred when her husband tried to open the gift box, adding to speculation that he had been murdered.

Mysterious deaths and murders were one play a role in Kiev’s political landscape before Russia’s full-scale invasion, and officials in Ukraine have been doing so for years accused Moscow of carrying out targeted killing operations in the country, often using inventive methods. Analysts have also cited internal political feuds or disputes related to organized crime as reasons for such killings.

Among the targets of these attacks were members of paramilitary groups in eastern Ukraine, a former member of the Ukrainian parliament, Russian opposition politicians living in exile in Ukraine and Ukrainian military officers.

But since the Russian invasion, no high-profile killings or attempted murders of Ukrainian officers or officials outside the front lines have been uncovered.

Ms Reva said the soldier who presented the grenades to Major Chastyakov had “explicitly” stated that they were military grade.

“Unfortunately the deceased did not take it seriously,” Ms Reva said.

Major Chastyakov’s death came as a shock to other Ukrainian officials.

“He was a practical and modern coordinator,” said Ukrainian parliamentarian Mariana Bezuhla. wrote on Facebook. “I never thought that Gennadiy would die on his birthday due to carelessness.”

Ms Bezuhla added that the practice of giving weapons and ammunition as gifts should be abolished. “Because even the best people fall into the trap of culture and become victims,” she said.

In a statement, General Zaluzhny said expressed deep regret about the loss of a ‘good friend’ who had ‘completely devoted his life to the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the fight against Russian aggression’.

The past few days have been challenging for General Zaluzhny, as signs of discord have emerged between him and Ukraine’s political leadership.

Last week, President Volodymyr Zelensky replaced one of the deputies of General Zaluzhny, the head of Ukraine’s special operations forces, without explanation.

Mr. Zelensky also publicly disagreed with General Zaluzhny’s recent comments the war had reached a ‘stalemate’ and a top presidential aide suggested the general’s comments were helpful to the Russians.

Andrew E. Kramer reporting contributed.