A package to his wife containing a disguised explosive: "gift" killed a woman and wounded children in Mykolaiv region

In the Mykolaiv region, law enforcement detained a resident of Pervomaisk, who is accused of the intentional murder of his wife using an improvised explosive device; two young children were also injured in the blast. The tragedy occurred on 20 March 2026 in the deceased’s home (explosion in an apartment in the Mykolaiv region: young mother killed, two children injured).

As the regional prosecutor’s office and police reported, in March 2026 the suspect manufactured an explosive device, disguising it as an electronic cigarette. The man hid the device in a parcel among food products and sent it to his wife by postal service, expecting that she would use the item.

According to the investigation, the recipient received the package at her residence, after which an explosion occurred when she attempted to use the “electronic cigarette.” The woman died at the scene from her injuries. The children were in the premises with their mother: the one-and-a-half-year-old daughter sustained numerous shrapnel wounds to the face and torso, and the six-year-old son was also injured. Both were hospitalized; doctors are monitoring them and there is currently no threat to their lives.

A forensic and operational team, criminal investigators, detectives and explosives experts worked at the scene. Specialists determined that an improvised explosive device in the parcel, sent by her husband — a military serviceman, detonated.

With support from the criminal analysis unit, police quickly determined the suspect’s whereabouts and detained him in accordance with Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine. Law enforcement also found that the 34-year-old man placed the explosive into a box with other items, carefully wrapped it with tape and handed it to acquaintances for further posting.

During urgent investigative actions at the family’s residence, officers seized another seven grenades, five TNT charges, two units of plastic explosive, incendiary tubes, igniters and percussion mechanisms, as well as 39 detonators and 60 rounds of ammunition for automatic weapons.

Under the procedural guidance of the Pervomaisk District Prosecutor’s Office, the suspect was informed of suspicion under p. 5 of part 2 of article 115 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (intentional murder committed in a way dangerous to the lives of many persons), and under part 1 of article 263 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal possession of weapons).

The offender faces punishment of up to 15 years imprisonment or life imprisonment.

The court remanded him in custody without the possibility of bail. The pre-trial investigation continues; law enforcement is establishing the circumstances and motives of the crime.

Earlier we wrote:

• Gift from Ternopil: a “souvenir” package exploded in a Ukrposhta branch
• Terrorist acts by post: an explosive device was sent in a package to a serviceman in Kherson
• Explosive in a pack of cigarettes: in Odesa a spy who worked for the Russian Federation was detained
• Family of volunteers on the brink of death: explosions were meant to be their end