Investigation considers 4 lines of enquiry in case of Zaluzhnyi's aide death

The State Bureau of Investigation of Ukraine (SBI) is examining four lines of enquiry of the death of Hennadii Chestiakov, an aide to Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. An accident is the priority avenue of investigation.

Source: Tetiana Sapian, communications adviser of the SBI, on air during the national joint 24/7 newscast

Quote: "There are four possible lines of enquiry of the event currently being examined in the criminal proceeding. The main line of enquiry is an accident that happened as a result of careless handling of an explosive device.

The second avenue of investigation considered by the investigation is a deliberate murder, a completed attempt to kill members of Chestiakov's family, veiled as an unintentional murder or an accident ordered by the Russian special services to destabilise the military and political situation in Ukraine.

Another line of enquiry is the intentional murder of Chestiakov, committed on grounds of hostile relations (possibly revenge or colleagues' jealousy).

The fourth avenue of investigation is an attempt to intentionally kill a military official other than Chestiakov, a senior officer from the Staff of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

Details: Sapian said the line of enquiry of the tragic accident is the main one.

Several examinations have been ordered in the case.

A communications adviser emphasised that this criminal proceeding, like several others, is under the special control of the leadership of the SBI.

Background: The Prosecutor’s Office reported that the SBI is to investigate the death of Hennadii Chastiakov, the aide of Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, caused by a grenade explosion.

The press service of the SBI has confirmed this information in a comment for Ukrainska Pravda and remarked that another article (Article 410.4 "Stealing, appropriation, demanding of weapons, ammunition, explosives or other attack substances, means of transport, military or special equipment or other military property by a soldier, as well as taking hold of them through extortion or abuse of office committed in the conditions of martial law") was added to the qualification of the proceeding (initiated on the sign of offences provided for in Articles 115.1 and 263.1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

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 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.
• An 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 pin from a grenade he had been given, causing the explosion that led to the tragedy.
• Ukraine's Interior Ministry reported that the man who presented the grenades to Major Hennadii Chastiakov, told the investigation that he warned Chastiakov that the grenades were live.

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