The Russian fighter pilots had gathered to celebrate 20 years since they graduated.
But the evening took an unexpected turn – when a mysterious cake and boxes of whiskey made an entrance at the party.
Now a 32-year-old Ukrainian man is suspected of trying to poison the pilots, reports Kyiv Post.
The table was set for a party in the city of Armavir in the Russian region of Krasnodar last Saturday. More than 70 fighter pilots had joined forces to celebrate the 20th anniversary of graduation from the Armavir Military Aviation School.
In the midst of the festivities, a man appeared with a cake and several cases of whiskey. The man claimed he was sent the gifts by an old school friend who was unable to attend the graduation anniversary.
The FSB was alerted – the cake was poison tested
When the cake – which is said to have been decorated with the flight school’s logo – was brought out, some partygoers started cutting the pastry.
But suspicion was quickly directed at the cake and the Russian Federal Security Service FSB was alerted.
The Russian newspaper Kommersant reports that both the cake and the whiskey bottles should have been examined – and then showed traces of an unidentifiable poison.
The FSB suspected that the emissary was sent on behalf of their counterpart on the Ukrainian side, the SBU, and therefore arrested the 32-year-old Ukrainian citizen.
Convicted of petty hooliganism
In a first stage, the 32-year-old was sentenced to 15 days in prison for outrageous behavior and minor hooliganism.
According to the Moscow Times, the man will also be charged and investigated for suspected terrorism.