Chastiakov was “a dependable shoulder for me” since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Zaluzhny wrote. “The explanations and circumstances [surrounding his death] shall be established in the course of the pre-trial investigation,” he wrote.
Minister of Inner Affairs Ihor Klymenko wrote on Telegram on Monday that the preliminary investigation confirmed that Chastiakov “returned residence from work with presents from colleagues, which he began displaying to his household.”
“He took out a present field with grenades inside and commenced demonstrating one of many munitions to his son,” he mentioned. His son started twisting one of many grenade rings. Chastiakov reportedly took the munition again and pulled the ring himself, Klymenko wrote.
Police discovered 5 extra of the identical kind of grenades within the condominium, Klymenko wrote, and had recognized the colleague who supplied the reward. A search in that serviceman’s workplace uncovered two related grenades. “Pressing investigative actions are ongoing,” he mentioned.
Earlier, Ukrainian information outlet Ukrainska Pravda reported on Telegram that Chastiakov’s spouse mentioned the explosion was attributable to a grenade that was inside a present bag he had introduced residence.
The outlet reported that the reward was mentioned to incorporate bottles of liquor and glasses formed like grenades and that the lethal explosion occurred as Chastiakov tried to open it. Pictures accompanying the submit present particles surrounding reward baggage lined up on the ground subsequent to a sofa.
In a single picture, what seem like a number of grenades or grenade-shaped objects are scattered throughout the ground. On social media, some jumped to the conclusion that Chastiakov’s dying had been an assassination slightly than a mistake.
“I pray to God that this was a tragic coincidence and never a focused assault,” wrote Dana Yarova, member of the Protection Ministry’s anti-corruption council.
On Fb, lawmaker Mariana Bezuhla wrote that “an in depth investigation must be performed.”
“I’d by no means have thought that Hennadii would die because of carelessness on his birthday,” she wrote. “Grenades are issued, not given. Not stored at residence.”
Many regard Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Zaluzhny as political rivals. In latest days, that alleged discord has garnered extra consideration after Zaluzhny wrote in an essay for the Economist that each Russia and Ukraine had reached a “stalemate” within the conflict and that new know-how could be obligatory to make sure advances. Zelensky publicly disagreed with that evaluation.
Zelensky’s workplace didn’t reply instantly to a request for touch upon the birthday incident.
Additionally on Monday, Ukraine launched a prison investigation into the army leaders who organized a medals ceremony that was hit by a Russian missile strike within the Zaporizhzhia area Friday. Nineteen troopers of the 128th Mountain Assault Brigade had been killed, the Related Press reported.
The troop-honoring ceremony was held close to the entrance line to honor the day of “Rocket Troops and Artillery,” Ukraine’s State Bureau of Investigation mentioned. The probe was opened underneath the prison code for “negligent perspective of a army official to service,” it mentioned.
Zelensky in his Monday night handle mentioned that the brigade commander has been briefly suspended in the course of the investigation.
“Each soldier within the fight zone … is aware of the right way to behave within the open, how to make sure security,” Zelensky mentioned in his Sunday handle. “The investigation should discover how this tragedy occurred and whether or not any improper orders had been issued.”
Kamila Hrabchuk, Serhiy Morgunov, Kostiantyn Khudov, David Stern and Isabelle Khurshudyan contributed to this report.
