Top Ukrainian military aide killed by ‘birthday bomb’ after it was detonated, also ‘seriously injuring’ his 13-year-old son
- A top Ukrainian military aide was killed by a gift on his birthday
- The gift, consisting of six grenades, was given to him by a fellow soldier
- He was playing with it in his home in Kiev just before the live weapon went off
A top aide to Ukraine’s military commander was killed on his birthday after one of his presents exploded at his Kiev home on Monday, “seriously injuring” his 13-year-old son.
Major Hennadiy Chastyakov was killed by a deadly explosion that “exploded in one of (his) birthday presents,” Valeriy Zaluzhnyy, the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, said in a statement carried by Telegram.
Photos taken from inside Chastyakov’s home show several grenade-shaped objects lying next to what appears to be a box for a bottle of alcohol, as well as a package from a Ukrainian clothing brand.
The explosion was caused by a gift box containing six grenades that was given to him by his colleagues and which he started showing off, according to a Telegram message from Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko.
He pulled out the ring of the grenade, which was live, and it exploded.
Major Hennady Chastyakov (pictured) was killed by a deadly explosion that ‘exploded in one of (his) birthday presents’
Photos taken from inside Chastyakov’s home show several grenade-shaped objects lying next to what appears to be a box for a bottle of alcohol
Police, who are still investigating the incident, found five more live grenades in Chastyakov’s house.
Ukrainian police have since discovered which of Khastyakov’s fellow soldiers gave him the gift and have since gone to his house to take two more grenades from him.
Chastyakov is survived by his wife and four children. It is currently unknown if anyone other than his 13-year-old son was injured in the explosion.
Zaluzhnyy, his boss, said of his death: āUnspeakable pain and heavy loss for the Armed Forces of Ukraine and for me personally.
‘My deepest condolences to the family.’
While some moments in the Russian invasion may not paint a good picture of Ukraine, other moments, including when the military destroyed one of Putin’s newly built warships with a daring missile strike, do.
Images show the attack hit the Butoma shipyard in Kerch, near Putin’s Grand Bridge that connects the annexed peninsula with Russia
Russian and Ukrainian media report that Askold, Russia’s newest missile carrier (photo), was hit in a November 4, 2023 missile attack in Crimea
The crashed ship was named as the newly built Askold missile ship, one of the most modern in Vladimir Putin’s navy.
Moscow admitted losing a ship in an attack by 13 cruise missiles, but did not specify which one.
Images showed the attack hit the Butoma shipyard in Kerch, near Putin’s Grand Bridge that connects the annexed peninsula with Russia.
Since launching a counter-offensive against Moscow’s forces this summer, Kiev has stepped up attacks on the peninsula in an effort to suppress Russia’s naval fleet in the Black Sea.
According to state media, the Russian Ministry of Defense said: ‘On November 4, the Ukrainian army launched 15 cruise missiles at the BE Butoma (Zaliv) shipyard in the city of Kerch.
‘Air defense systems shot down thirteen cruise missiles. As a result of the hit by an enemy cruise missile, a ship located near the factory was damaged.’
The ministry did not say how badly the ship was damaged or identify which ship was attacked.