Grenade discovered during autopsy of soldier's body returned in swap with Russia

Forensic experts in Chernivtsi have discovered an unexploded grenade during the autopsy of a fallen Ukrainian serviceman whose body had been brought back from Russia as part of an exchange. Morgue staff were evacuated and bomb disposal experts neutralised the device.

Source: Viktor Bachynskyi, Head of the Chernivtsi Regional Bureau of Forensic Examination, in a comment to Suspilne

Details: Bachynskyi said that during the examination of bodies returned by Russia in exchanges, explosive items are occasionally found in pockets. But on this occasion, the grenade was found in the deceased's body.

According to Bachynskyi, the explosive device had entered through the abdominal cavity, passed through the body and stopped under the skin of the right thigh.

Quote: "When the expert began the autopsy of the deceased, opened the cranial cavity and the chest cavity, then reached the limb and started to cut it, he found an unexploded grenade under the skin."

Details: After the dangerous item was discovered, morgue employees were evacuated from the premises and bomb disposal experts were called in.

The grenade was removed and taken to a training ground, where it was destroyed in a controlled explosion.

Bachynskyi added that due to similar incidents, bodies usually undergo additional checks by bomb disposal experts from the State Emergency Service before the forensic experts begin their work. However, on this occasion the explosive device was not immediately detected.

Background: On 26 February, Ukraine received 1,000 bodies (remains) as part of repatriation efforts, which, according to early reports from the Russian side, may be those of Ukrainian servicemen.

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