Fire with explosions breaks out at home of family of former Ukrainian brigade commander accused of murder

A fire broke out at a house in the village of Kalynivka in Kyiv region belonging to the family of Stanislav Luchanov, former commander of Ukraine's 155th Mechanized Brigade, according to media outlet hromadske.

Local residents said they heard three explosions shortly before the fire started. During the day on September 19, Luchanov's wife Daryna was seen in the village together with two children. Later that evening, after relatives had left the village, explosions were reportedly heard there.

Firefighters who responded to the scene said the fire may have been caused by an electrical wiring short circuit. The blaze was extinguished and did not spread to the rest of the house.

Background

In early July, hromadske reported, citing sources, that Luchanov was being sought after nine soldiers from the brigade were detained on suspicion of kidnapping two civilian men in Kyiv region. It later emerged that the case involved not only kidnapping but also the killing of the victims.

Ukraine's Military Law Enforcement Service subsequently announced that the former brigade commander and other participants were suspected of unlawful deprivation of liberty and the premeditated murder of two civilians. Luchanov was detained in Kyiv on July 13. Among the nine detained soldiers is the brigade's battalion commander, senior lieutenant Dolgolenko. On July 14, a court ordered Luchanov held in pretrial detention.