Major Hennadii Chastiakov, an aide to General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the leader of Ukraine’s armed forces, died on Monday, November 6, 2023, due to an explosion at his home. The cause of the blast was a grenade, given to him as a present for his 39th birthday. This explosion also critically injured his 13-year-old son.

The event unfolded in the evening when Chastiakov was displaying a set of six grenades to his family. His teenage son, handling one of the grenades, accidentally twisted its ring. When Chastiakov grabbed it from him, the ring dislodged, setting off the explosion. This led to the immediate death of Major Chastiakov and severe injuries to his son.

Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko classified the occurrence as an accident. A colleague had given the grenades to Chastiakov. After the explosion, police recovered the other five grenades from his residence. Further inquiries into the colleague revealed two more similar grenades in their office.

Mariana Bezuhla, a member of the Ukrainian parliament, underscored the gravity of the incident, advocating for a comprehensive investigation. She highlighted that grenades are typically distributed under specific conditions and should not be used as gifts or stored in private homes.

The Ukrainian police and military are conducting a thorough investigation to determine if the incident was purely accidental or if other factors were involved.

Major Hennadii Chastiakov was a prominent figure in the Ukrainian military, serving as an aide to a leading military official. His role was significant in the context of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.