Emmanuel OchayiGrenade gifted as a birthday present has detonated, resulting in the death of Major Hennadiy Chastyakov, a close aide to Ukraine’s armed forces head, Valery Zaluzhny. The explosion occurred as Chastyakov was celebrating his birthday with his 13-year-old son, who was left seriously wounded.
Ukraine’s Interior Minister, Ihor Klymenko, revealed that the child started manipulating the grenade’s ring, leading to the fateful accident. Klymenko stated, “Then, the serviceman took the grenade from the child and pulled the ring, causing a tragic explosion.”
The incident, described as a “tragic accident,” has led to a public appeal for patience as an official investigation is underway. The police attributed the explosion to the careless handling of ammunition in the family flat in Chaiky, on the outskirts of Kyiv.
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Five more grenades were discovered in the flat, reportedly gifted by a colleague in the army. Two similar grenades were found on the said colleague, identified as an army colonel as reported by BBC news.
The scene depicted a haunting image of grenades strewn on the floor, alongside gift bags. Chastyakov had brought these grenades home, packaged in a bag with a bottle of whisky.
One report suggested that the bottle was included with grenade-shaped glasses, with the colleague allegedly quipping, “It’s hard to surprise you: That’s why I’m giving you combat grenades and a bottle of good whisky.”
Major General Valery Zaluzhny, mourning the loss, described Chastyakov as a “reliable shoulder” since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
This tragic incident follows a missile strike that claimed the lives of 19 soldiers during a Russian attack on an awards ceremony near the front line in Zaporizhzhia. Criticism mounted over holding the ceremony in a perilous area.
While some have attributed Chastyakov’s death to negligence, the official cause has been questioned by Ukrainian commentators. Speculation lingers over whether it might have been an attempt to target General Zaluzhny himself, assuming his attendance at the birthday celebrations.
Amid this turmoil, Ukraine’s military faces mounting pressure and a complex situation on the front lines against Russia’s invading forces.
Despite the grim outlook, President Volodymr Zelensky denied that the war had reached a stalemate, urging unity and resilience in these trying times. Additionally, he announced a delay in the upcoming presidential elections due to the ongoing state of war and martial law.
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