Adviser to head of Ukraine’s armed forces killed by birthday gift bomb

An in depth adviser to the top of Ukraine’s armed forces was killed Monday by an explosive machine hidden inside a present that had been given to him for his birthday.

“An unknown explosive machine went off in one of many items,” Valeriy Zaluzhny wrote on Telegram Monday night native time following the demise of Main Gennadiy Chastyakov.

Zaluzhny referred to as Chastyakov “my assistant and shut buddy” and mentioned the 39-year-old’s demise marked a “heavy loss for the Armed Forces of Ukraine”.

The Ukrainska Pravda information outlet, citing sources in regulation enforcement, said the blast was attributable to a grenade hidden inside a present bag that consisted of a bottle of alcohol and shot glasses, amongst which an actual explosive was hidden.

Zaluzhny mentioned an investigation into the killing is below approach.

Chastyakov’s 13-year-old son was severely injured and is being handled in hospital, Ukraine’s Nationwide Police mentioned in an announcement.