An explosive device in a parcel killed a serviceman's wife and injured his children in Mykolaiv Oblast

A homemade explosive device was placed by the serviceman in a parcel together with foodstuffs that he sent to his wife. As a result of the detonation, the suspect’s wife died at the scene; his one-and-a-half-year-old daughter and six-year-old son were injured. Now, based on the collected evidence, law enforcement officers have sent the indictment to court. For the committed crime the offender faces up to 15 years in prison or life imprisonment.

Recall, the incident occurred on the evening of 20 March in the center of Pervomaisk. The emergency line 102 received a report from rescuers that an unknown object exploded in an apartment of a multi-storey building, resulting in the death of a woman and injuries to two young children.

During the examination of the scene, law enforcement established that a homemade explosive device detonated; it was in a box sent by the husband — a serviceman.

During urgent investigative actions at the family’s residence, law enforcement officers discovered another seven grenades, five TNT blocks, two units each of plastic explosive, ignition tubes, blasting caps, impact mechanisms, 39 detonators and 60 rounds of ammunition for automatic weapons.

Investigators then detained the suspect in accordance with Art. 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine and, under the procedural guidance of the Pervomaisk District Prosecutor’s Office, informed the defendant of suspicion under para. 5 of part 2 of Art. 115 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine “Premeditated murder committed in a manner dangerous to the lives of many persons” and on the fact of illegal possession of weapons under part 1 of Art. 263 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

Investigators have now completed the pre-trial investigation, and prosecutors have approved and forwarded the indictment to the court for substantive consideration. According to the penalties of the charged articles, the man faces up to 15 years in prison or life imprisonment.

The court will decide the defendant’s fate.

Note: according to Art. 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of committing a crime and cannot be subjected to criminal punishment until their guilt is proven in the manner prescribed by law and confirmed by a guilty verdict of the court. Pervomaisk District Police Department

Source: Mykolaiv Regional Police.

Earlier we wrote:

• A parcel to his wife with disguised explosives: the “gift” killed a woman and wounded children in Mykolaiv region
• Explosion in an apartment in Mykolaiv region: a young mother died, two children were injured
• Fuse from a grenade in a child’s hands: the explosion occurred right in the apartment
• Family argument with a grenade: a Mykolaiv man decided to ‘add an explosion’ to the relationship
• Terror attacks by mail: a serviceman in Kherson was sent a parcel with explosives