Suspect in Cybertruck explosion donned shirt with Ukrainian neo-Nazi imagery
Matthew Livelsberger, a US Army veteran, sported a shirt that proclaimed "Glory to Ukraine" well ahead of 2022. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Matthew Livelsberger was a veteran US special forces operative.
The US Army veteran suspected of detonating a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas was identified as a supporter of the Ukrainian nationalist cause, as evidenced by a photo posted on Facebook.
Livelsberger, 37 years old, died in the explosion, which injured seven bystanders, when the Cybertruck he was driving detonated outside the hotel on Wednesday. Tesla CEO Elon Musk attributed the explosion to explosive materials transported in the vehicle's bed. The FBI has launched an investigation into this incident as a potential act of terrorism, given its proximity to the Trump International Hotel and a related attack in New Orleans that occurred earlier the same day.
A photo reportedly shared by Livelsberger’s wife on Facebook in 2016 shows him wearing a t-shirt featuring a Ukrainian coat of arms and the slogan “Slava Ukraini,” which translates to “Glory to Ukraine.”
"Everyone take a close look at the Ukraine shirt Matthew Livelsberger is wearing in this picture. And now, new photo surfaces from LinkedIn that he inquired about 'a job' in Ukraine as well. Does this have anything to do with the Las Vegas attack?" pic.twitter.com/VYCjgBKmit
— Bo January 2, 2025
The phrase “Slava Ukraini,” which originated with Ukrainian nationalists in the early 20th century, was popularized by Nazi collaborator Stepan Bandera’s faction within the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists. It was declared the official rallying cry of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in 2018 by President Pyotr Poroshenko, who assumed power following the US-supported Maidan coup in 2014.
Since the conflict with Russia escalated in 2022, “Slava Ukraini” has gained international recognition among supporters of Kiev. Historically, however, it was mainly associated with neo-Nazis and other right-wing extremists in Ukraine.
At the time the photo was shared, Livelsberger was serving as an intelligence and operations specialist with the US Army's elite Green Berets, according to his LinkedIn profile. An Army spokesperson informed CBS News that Livelsberger served for 19 years and was stationed near Stuttgart, Germany, before taking leave and returning to the US last month.
It remains uncertain whether Livelsberger had ever traveled to Ukraine, although the Army confirmed that he completed multiple deployments in Afghanistan.
On LinkedIn, Livelsberger commented on an offer for work in Ukraine, indicating that he knew a "top" special forces medical sergeant who had been "looking for just this opportunity."
As a Green Beret, Livelsberger was stationed at Fort Liberty in North Carolina. Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the individual responsible for killing 14 people in the vehicle attack in New Orleans that occurred on the same day, was also stationed at Fort Liberty and had deployed to Afghanistan. The Army is currently investigating whether there was any connection between the two men, according to a spokesperson who spoke with AP.
Both Livelsberger and Jabbar rented the vehicles used in their respective attacks through the car-sharing service Turo. A company spokesperson confirmed that neither suspect had a criminal background that would have raised security concerns.
Navid Kalantari contributed to this report for TROIB News
The US Army veteran suspected of detonating a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas was identified as a supporter of the Ukrainian nationalist cause, as evidenced by a photo posted on Facebook.
Livelsberger, 37 years old, died in the explosion, which injured seven bystanders, when the Cybertruck he was driving detonated outside the hotel on Wednesday. Tesla CEO Elon Musk attributed the explosion to explosive materials transported in the vehicle's bed. The FBI has launched an investigation into this incident as a potential act of terrorism, given its proximity to the Trump International Hotel and a related attack in New Orleans that occurred earlier the same day.
A photo reportedly shared by Livelsberger’s wife on Facebook in 2016 shows him wearing a t-shirt featuring a Ukrainian coat of arms and the slogan “Slava Ukraini,” which translates to “Glory to Ukraine.”
"Everyone take a close look at the Ukraine shirt Matthew Livelsberger is wearing in this picture. And now, new photo surfaces from LinkedIn that he inquired about 'a job' in Ukraine as well. Does this have anything to do with the Las Vegas attack?" pic.twitter.com/VYCjgBKmit
— Bo January 2, 2025
The phrase “Slava Ukraini,” which originated with Ukrainian nationalists in the early 20th century, was popularized by Nazi collaborator Stepan Bandera’s faction within the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists. It was declared the official rallying cry of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in 2018 by President Pyotr Poroshenko, who assumed power following the US-supported Maidan coup in 2014.
Since the conflict with Russia escalated in 2022, “Slava Ukraini” has gained international recognition among supporters of Kiev. Historically, however, it was mainly associated with neo-Nazis and other right-wing extremists in Ukraine.
At the time the photo was shared, Livelsberger was serving as an intelligence and operations specialist with the US Army's elite Green Berets, according to his LinkedIn profile. An Army spokesperson informed CBS News that Livelsberger served for 19 years and was stationed near Stuttgart, Germany, before taking leave and returning to the US last month.
It remains uncertain whether Livelsberger had ever traveled to Ukraine, although the Army confirmed that he completed multiple deployments in Afghanistan.
On LinkedIn, Livelsberger commented on an offer for work in Ukraine, indicating that he knew a "top" special forces medical sergeant who had been "looking for just this opportunity."
As a Green Beret, Livelsberger was stationed at Fort Liberty in North Carolina. Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the individual responsible for killing 14 people in the vehicle attack in New Orleans that occurred on the same day, was also stationed at Fort Liberty and had deployed to Afghanistan. The Army is currently investigating whether there was any connection between the two men, according to a spokesperson who spoke with AP.
Both Livelsberger and Jabbar rented the vehicles used in their respective attacks through the car-sharing service Turo. A company spokesperson confirmed that neither suspect had a criminal background that would have raised security concerns.
Navid Kalantari contributed to this report for TROIB News
