Ukraine's Internal Affairs Ministry reveals new details about recent death of aide of Commander-in-Chief

The man who presented the grenades to Major Hennadii Chastiakov, the recently deceased aide of the сommander of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, told the investigation that he warned Chastiakov about the authenticity of the grenades.

Source: Mariana Reva, Interior Ministry spokeswoman, on the air of Radio Liberty

Quote: "The person who most likely gave these gifts admitted to doing so. He warned that grenades are authentic. The deceased likely did not believe this."

Details: The name of the gifter is not disclosed. His office was searched on 6 November.

According to Reva, investigators conducted priority urgent investigative actions, and the status of this person will be determined in a procedural manner in the future. At the same time, the spokeswoman for the Ministry of Internal Affairs emphasises, the facts suggest that when Chastiakov took the grenade in his hands, he probably did not believe that it was a combat grenade.

In turn, the Special Prosecutor's Office of the Central region announces the start of an investigation into the tragedy.

It is noted that according to the investigation, on 6 November, the deceased was celebrating his birthday. He returned home with gifts from colleagues – among them was a gift box, which, among other things, contained six Western-type grenades marked as D5.

One of the grenades was picked up by the son of the soldier. Taking the grenade from the child, the officer pulled out the ring, which provoked an explosion.

The 39-year-old major died on the spot. His 13-year-old son was hospitalised with severe injuries, and the 11-year-old daughter received minor injuries.

Law enforcement officers seized five more such grenades at the scene.

During an urgent search, two similar munitions were seized from the  soldier’s colleague who made this dangerous "gift".

Quote: "At present, the causes and circumstances of the incident are being established, interrogations of eyewitnesses and witnesses continue, a set of examinations is being prepared."

Background: 

• A 39-year-old soldier was killed on the evening of Monday, 6 November, when a grenade exploded in his home in the village of Chaiky in Kyiv Oblast. His 13-year-old son was taken to hospital with serious injuries. The deceased, Hennadii Chastiakov, was an aide to Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. 
• Zaluzhnyi confirmed the death of his aide Chastiakov under tragic circumstances and expressed his condolences to the family.
• The wife of the late Hennadii Chastiakov says that the grenade that exploded in her husband’s hands was in a gift bag that he had brought home. On 6 November, Chastiakov celebrated his birthday.
• A Ukrainska Pravda source in the General Staff noted that Chastiakov had graduated from the Military Academy in Odesa and knew exactly how to handle a grenade.
• Ihor Klymenko, Ukraine’s Minister of Internal Affairs, said that preliminary information from an investigation suggests Major Hennadii Chastiakov pulled the ring from a grenade he had been given, causing the tragic explosion.

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