Fact Check: Witnesses report attacker threw grenade before detonating explosives
What We Know
On December 15, 2023, a village councillor in Keretsky, Ukraine, threw grenades during a council meeting, resulting in injuries to 26 individuals, six of whom were reported to be in serious condition. This incident occurred amidst a heated discussion about the village's budget for 2024. Eyewitness accounts and police reports confirm that the councillor took several grenades from his jacket and threw them into the meeting room, where they subsequently exploded (BBC). The attack was livestreamed on Facebook, and the police have classified it as a "terrorist attack," although they have not yet established a motive (BBC).
Analysis
The claim that witnesses reported the attacker threw a grenade before detonating explosives is substantiated by multiple eyewitness accounts and police statements. The councillor's actions were clearly documented during the livestream of the meeting, where he was seen attempting to gain attention before throwing the grenades. The sequence of events is corroborated by the police, who stated that the grenades were thrown into the room and exploded shortly thereafter (BBC).
The reliability of the source, the BBC, is high, as it is a well-established news organization known for its rigorous fact-checking and journalistic standards. The information provided is consistent across various reports, reinforcing the credibility of the eyewitness accounts and the police's statements regarding the attack.
While there are no indications that the attack was directly related to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the availability of weaponry among civilians due to the war context is noted. However, this does not detract from the factual accuracy of the claim regarding the grenade being thrown (BBC).
Conclusion
Verdict: True
The claim that witnesses reported the attacker threw a grenade before detonating explosives is true. The evidence from eyewitness accounts, police reports, and the livestream of the incident confirms that the councillor threw grenades into the meeting room, resulting in multiple injuries. The sequence of events is well-documented and corroborated by credible sources.