Myroslav Nytka, a member of a Zakarpattia Oblast's village council injured in a grenade attack in December, died in the hospital, raising the total death toll to two, said Roman Tarabii, the deputy head of the Mukachevo district council, on Jan. 15.
A man who is suspected to be another council member allegedly detonated grenades inside a crowded room in a local government building in the Keretsky village on Dec. 15, 2023, killing one person on the spot and injuring over 20.
Authorities have begun investigating the case as terrorism.
Nytka, aged 46, was an independent council member and the head of the administrative services department, Tarabii said.
Authorities did not publicly identify the suspected perpetrator of the bombing, but Ukrainska Pravda and other media outlets alleged that it was Serhii Batryn, a local council member.
The regional media outlet Zakarpattia24 shared a video in which Batryn complains about other local officials. Zakarpattia24 also said that Batryn had previously feuded with colleagues about a wartime pay increase for the head of the village council.
Before he detonated the grenades, Batryn allegedly got into an argument with his coworkers about the issue, who refused to take his side. After the dispute, Zakarpattia24 said he left and returned with the grenades.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
(Updated: )
