Who Is Serhiy Batryn? Ukraine Councilor Who Detonated Grenades At City Council Meeting Identified

The Ukrainian politician who detonated multiple grenades during a village council meeting has been identified by local media as Serhiy Batryn. The incident took place at the headquarters of the village council of Keretsky, in western Ukraine's mountainous Zakarpattia region, Friday, and left at least 26 people injured.

"As a result, 26 people were wounded, six of whom are in a grave condition," police said in a statement.

A video of the incident showed him pulling three hand grenades from his jacket pockets, releasing the safety pins, and dropping the grenades on the floor. The resulting explosions triggered chaos, with loud screams filling the room. Amid the panic, a woman's voice in Ukrainian can be heard expressing distress, saying, "I can't walk!" As of now, the condition of the injured remains unknown.

Serhiy Batryn is reportedly a member of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's Servant of the People party. Friday’s session aimed to approve the village's budget for the upcoming year. However, Batryn, dissatisfied, insisted on a detailed review of the current year's budget before proceeding. A fierce debate ensued, leading to Batryn abruptly leaving the meeting, only to return minutes later armed with grenades.

Batryn, serving in the village council's law and order commission, reportedly had a longstanding feud with village chief Mikhail Mushka.

Though initial reports suggested his demise, authorities later clarified that doctors were trying to resuscitate him.

Law enforcement has launched a criminal case against Batryn for the illegal use of weapons and munitions. Ukraine’s Security Service is conducting a thorough investigation, treating the incident as an act of terrorism.