Jump to content

Assassination of Vladlen Tatarsky

Coordinates: 59°56′12″N 30°17′12″E / 59.93667°N 30.28667°E / 59.93667; 30.28667
Extended-protected article
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Assassination of Vladlen Tatarsky
Camera footage from the explosion
Assassination of Vladlen Tatarsky is located in European Russia
Assassination of Vladlen Tatarsky
Assassination of Vladlen Tatarsky (European Russia)
Assassination of Vladlen Tatarsky is located in Central Saint Petersburg
Assassination of Vladlen Tatarsky
Assassination of Vladlen Tatarsky (Central Saint Petersburg)
LocationUniversitetskaya Embankment 25, Street Food Bar №1 café, Saint Petersburg, Russia
Coordinates59°56′12″N 30°17′12″E / 59.93667°N 30.28667°E / 59.93667; 30.28667
Date2 April 2023
Attack type
Bombing
WeaponImprovised explosive device
Deaths1
Injured42
PerpetratorsDarya Trepova
No. of participants
1
MotiveOpposition to the Russian invasion of Ukraine (suspected)

On 2 April 2023, a bombing occurred in the Street Food Bar No.1 café on Universitetskaya Embankment in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Russian military blogger Vladlen Tatarsky, real name Maxim Fomin, died as a result of the explosion[1][2][3] and 42 people were injured, 24 of whom were hospitalized, including six in critical conditions.[4][5][6]

Russia accused Ukraine of being behind the attack and labelled it a "terrorist act", while Ukraine blamed the attack on "domestic terrorism".[7] The National Republican Army also claimed responsibility for the attack.[8] Darya Trepova was convicted of the murder in 2024.

Background

In 2022 and 2023, a number of Russian businessmen were found dead under suspicious circumstances.[9][10][11] In addition, Ukraine was accused of being behind attacks against pro-war figures, such as in the killing of Darya Dugina.[12][13]

Vladlen Tatarsky was an influential Russian military blogger with more than 560,000 followers on Telegram.[14] Before his death, he criticized Russia's strategy in the Russian invasion of Ukraine but was also a staunch supporter of the invasion.[14][15]

The café where the explosion occurred belonged to Yevgeny Prigozhin.[16] The Cyber Z Front discussion club gathered there on weekends.[16]

Explosion

According to several sources, including Russian authorities,[17] Vladlen Tatarsky was offered a statuette by a woman, which is thought to have subsequently exploded.[18][19] The power of the explosives inside of the statuette was reportedly more than 200g of TNT equivalent.[17] The explosion caused the front of the café to collapse.[14] Police were called to the scene at 18:13 local time.[20]

Victims

According to the Ministry of Health, one person (Tatarsky) died. By the evening of 2 April, the number of wounded rose to 42.[4][5][6] Twenty-four wounded were taken to medical institutions in Saint Petersburg from the café. The condition of six wounded people was assessed as serious.[21]

Suspects

Russian law enforcement agencies started investigating the incident shortly after it occurred.[22]

A resident of Saint Petersburg, Darya Yevgenyevna Trepova (born 16 February 1997),[23] was considered as a suspect by the Investigative Committee.[24][25] Investigators believed that she brought to the café a box with a bust of Tatarsky, in which an explosive device was mounted.[26] She had earlier been detained for 10 days, along with her husband, after attending an anti-war protest against the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022 for apparently ignoring police orders to disperse.[27] Russian officials also claimed she was an "active supporter" of jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny.[27][26]

On the next day, in the morning of 3 April, the Investigative Committee announced that she had been detained after being placed on the wanted list earlier that day.[28][29] Trepova's husband, Dmitry Rylov, said that she was detained at the apartment of his friend Dmitry Kasintsev, who was also detained, according to The Insider.[30] Russian authorities did not confirm a second detention.[30] Rylov, a member of the fringe opposition Libertarian Party of Russia, stated that "she would never kill" and that he believed she was framed.[31][27]

In a video released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Trepova confessed to bringing in the statuette but unconfirmed reports by Russian media stated that she had told investigators that she had been set up and was unaware that the statuette had contained a bomb.[7][26] In the video, she appeared to agree that she brought the statuette to the café, but didn't answer to the interrogation about the origin of the statuette.[32]

Russian officials said that the possibility of Trepova being conned was not ruled out.[33]

Russia accused Ukraine of organising the attack; the National Anti-terrorism Committee accused Ukrainian intelligence services and supporters of Alexei Navalny of being behind the attack, echoed by Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, who called it a "terrorist act".[7] Ukrainian presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak blamed the attack on "domestic terrorism" and "an internal political fight", while Navalny's allies rejected the accusation and said it was more likely Russia's own intelligence services were behind the attack.[7]

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner Group, paid tribute to Tatarsky in a video after the attack.[34] He also said that he would not blame the Ukrainian government for the attack, instead saying he believed there was a group of radicals.[35]

On 4 April, the National Republican Army (NRA), which previously claimed to be behind the killing of Darya Dugina in August 2022, claimed responsibility for the attack.[36][37][8][38] The NRA did not provide any evidence for its claim.[39]

The Investigative Committee of Russia opened a criminal case under article 105 of the Criminal Code of Russia which criminalizes acts of murder.[40] The next day, the Investigative Committee decided to change the article to article 205, which criminalizes acts of terrorism.[41]

Wikinews has related news:

On 4 April, Trepova was charged by the Investigative Committee under the criminal code with a "terrorist act committed by an organized group that resulted in the deliberate infliction of death on a person" and the "illegal carrying of explosive devices committed by an organized group".[42] Terrorism can carry a life sentence in Russia,[43] though this does not apply to women.[44] Consequently, Trepova faces up to 20 years in a penal colony if convicted.[45] She was initially remanded in custody with a release date of 2 June,[46] but that was subsequently extended to 3 September.[47] Trepova was brought before a court on 15 November,[48] to be charged with carrying out a terrorist attack, illegal trafficking of explosive devices and forging documents.[49]

On 25 January 2024, Trepova was sentenced to 27 years in prison,[50] one of the longest prison sentences ever given to a woman in modern Russian history.[51]

Aftermath

President Vladimir Putin awarded the Order of Courage to Tatarsky posthumously.[52][53]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Alert: Russian media say a famous military blogger has been killed in an apparent bombing attack at a café in St. Petersburg". The Middletown Press. 2 April 2023. Archived from the original on 2 April 2023. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  2. ^ Trevelyan, Mark; Light, Felix; Trevelyan, Mark (2 April 2023). "Russian military blogger killed in St Petersburg bomb blast - agencies". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2 April 2023. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  3. ^ Stepanenko, Kateryna and Kagan, Frederick W. (2 April 2023). Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, April 2, 2023 Archived 3 April 2023 at the Wayback Machine Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  4. ^ a b Новости, Р. И. А. (4 April 2023). "После взрыва в Петербурге за медпомощью обратились 42 человека" [After the explosion in St. Petersburg, 42 people asked for medical help]. РИА Новости (in Russian). Archived from the original on 5 April 2023. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  5. ^ a b "Минздрав: 42 человека обратились за медпомощью после взрыва в Петербурге - Газета.Ru | Новости" [Ministry of Health: 42 people asked for medical help after the explosion in St. Petersburg - Gazeta.Ru | News]. Газета.Ru (in Russian). 4 April 2023. Archived from the original on 5 April 2023. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  6. ^ a b Денисовна, Косолапова Арина (4 April 2023). "Число пострадавших от взрыва в Санкт-Петербурге увеличилось до 42" [The number of victims of the explosion in St. Petersburg increased to 42]. Известия (in Russian). Archived from the original on 5 April 2023. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  7. ^ a b c d Osborn, Andrew; Lebedev, Filipp (3 April 2023). "Russia accuses Ukraine of blowing up war blogger Tatarsky, arrests woman". Reuters. Archived from the original on 3 April 2023. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  8. ^ a b "Suspect in killing of Russian war blogger charged with terrorism". Reuters. 4 April 2023. Archived from the original on 6 April 2023. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  9. ^ Kirby, Paul (1 September 2022). "Ravil Maganov: Russian Lukoil chief dies in 'fall from hospital window'". BBC News. Archived from the original on 1 September 2022. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  10. ^ "Two crypto titans found dead". KTLA. 1 December 2022. Archived from the original on 8 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  11. ^ Godfrey, Elaine (29 December 2022). "Sudden Russian Death Syndrome". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on 30 December 2022. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  12. ^ Velikzhanin, Anton (5 October 2022). "U.S. Suspects Ukraine in Killing of Pro-Kremlin Ideologue's Daughter – NYT". The Moscow Times. Archived from the original on 28 December 2022. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  13. ^ Barnes, Julian E.; Goldman, Adam; Entous, Adam; Schwirtz, Michael (5 October 2022). "U.S. Believes Ukrainians Were Behind an Assassination in Russia". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 5 October 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  14. ^ a b c "Prominent Russian military blogger killed in cafe blast: Reports". aljazeera.com. 3 April 2023 [Originally published 2 April 2023]. Archived from the original on 2 April 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  15. ^ Sauer, Pjotr (2 April 2023). "Russian pro-war military blogger killed in blast at St Petersburg cafe". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2 April 2023. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  16. ^ a b ""Fontanka": v kafe Prigozhina v Peterburge progremel vzryv" «Фонтанка»: в кафе Пригожина в Петербурге прогремел взрыв ["Fontanka": an explosion occurred in Prigozhin's cafe in St. Petersburg]. www.mk.ru (in Russian). 2 April 2023. Archived from the original on 2 April 2023. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  17. ^ a b "V Peterburge pri vzryve v kafe pogib voyenkor Vladlen Tatarskiy" В Петербурге при взрыве в кафе погиб военкор Владлен Татарский [In St. Petersburg, military commander Vladlen Tatarsky died in an explosion in a cafe]. TACC. Archived from the original on 2 April 2023. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  18. ^ "Russian blogger killed in St. Petersburg explosion". euronews. 2 April 2023. Archived from the original on 2 April 2023. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  19. ^ "Russian military blogger killed in St Petersburg bombing". Otago Daily Times Online News. 3 April 2023. Archived from the original on 2 April 2023. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  20. ^ Peter, Laurence; Ivshina, Olga (3 April 2023). "Vladlen Tatarsky: Killing of pro-Kremlin blogger investigated as murder". BBC News. Archived from the original on 3 April 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  21. ^ Диана, Потехина (2 April 2023). "Chislo postradavshikh pri vzryve Peterburge vozroslo do 30" Число пострадавших при взрыве Петербурге возросло до 30 [The number of victims of the explosion in St. Petersburg increased to 30]. Известия (in Russian). Archived from the original on 2 April 2023. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  22. ^ "Dar'ya Trepova zaderzhana po podozreniyu v ubiystve voyenkora Vladlena Tatarskogo" Дарья Трепова задержана по подозрению в убийстве военкора Владлена Татарского [Daria Trepova detained on suspicion of murdering military commissar Vladlen Tatarsky]. www.mk.ru (in Russian). 2 April 2023. Archived from the original on 2 April 2023. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  23. ^ "Чем известна Дарья Трепова" [Why is Daria Trepova famous?]. Kommersant. 3 April 2023. Archived from the original on 3 April 2023. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  24. ^ "Podozrevayemaya v ubiystve voyenkora Tatarskogo zaderzhana" Подозреваемая в убийстве военкора Татарского задержана [Suspected in the murder of the military commander Tatarsky detained]. Interfax.ru (in Russian). 2 April 2023. Archived from the original on 2 April 2023. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  25. ^ Tyshchenko, Kateryna. "Russian media: St Petersburg woman detained on suspicion of murdering propagandist". Ukrainska Pravda. Archived from the original on 3 April 2023. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  26. ^ a b c "Russia blames Ukraine, Navalny group for bombing that killed pro-Russia blogger". CBC News. 3 April 2023. Archived from the original on 3 April 2023. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  27. ^ a b c Greenall, Robert (3 April 2023). "Darya Trepova: What we know about accused in Russian blogger Vladlen Tatarsky's killing". BBC News. Archived from the original on 3 April 2023. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  28. ^ "SKR soobshchil o zaderzhanii Dar'i Trepovoy po podozreniyu v prichastnosti k vzryvu v peterburgskom kafe" СКР сообщил о задержании Дарьи Треповой по подозрению в причастности к взрыву в петербургском кафе [TFR announced the arrest of Darya Trepova on suspicion of involvement in the explosion in a St. Petersburg cafe]. www.interfax-russia.ru (in Russian). 3 April 2023. Archived from the original on 3 April 2023. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  29. ^ "Ob"yavlennuyu v rozysk po delu Tatarskogo devushku zaderzhali" Объявленную в розыск по делу Татарского девушку задержали [A girl put on the wanted list in the case of Tatarsky was detained]. РБК (in Russian). 3 April 2023. Archived from the original on 3 April 2023. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  30. ^ a b "Man detained in St. Petersburg in connection with Vladlen Tatarsky assassination". Meduza. 3 April 2023. Wikidata Q117409643. Archived from the original on 3 April 2023.
  31. ^ "Who is Daria Trepova? The 26-year-old suspect accused of killing Russian war blogger Vladlen Tatarsky in cafe bombing". Sky News. 3 April 2023. Archived from the original on 4 April 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  32. ^ Russian police release video of Darya Trepova, a suspect in cafe killing of Vladlen Tatarsky, ABC News, 3 April 2023, archived from the original on 4 April 2023, retrieved 4 April 2023
  33. ^ "Who was behind the St. Petersburg bombing?". POLITICO. 6 April 2023. Archived from the original on 7 April 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  34. ^ Cuesta, Javier G. (4 April 2023). "St. Petersburg bombing stirs fear of new attacks within Russia". EL PAÍS English. Archived from the original on 4 April 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  35. ^ "Prominent Russian blogger assassinated in St. Petersburg bombing". pbs.org. 3 April 2023. Archived from the original on 5 April 2023. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  36. ^ ""Национальная республиканская армия" взяла на себя ответственность за взрыв в Петербурге" ["National Republican Army" claimed responsibility for the explosion in St. Petersburg]. Meduza (in Russian). Archived from the original on 5 April 2023. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  37. ^ "National Republican Army takes responsibility for murder of propagandist Tatarsky". Ukrainska Pravda. Archived from the original on 5 April 2023. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  38. ^ "'National Republican Army' takes responsibility for explosion that killed Vladlen Tatarsky". Novaya Gazeta Europe. 13 January 1990. Archived from the original on 5 April 2023. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  39. ^ "Darya Trepova: Russia cafe bomb suspect charged with terrorism". BBC News. 4 April 2023. Archived from the original on 11 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  40. ^ "Glavnym sledstvennym upravleniyem SK Rossii po Sankt-Peterburgu vozbuzhdeno ugolovnoye po faktu vzryva v odnom iz kafe goroda" Главным следственным управлением СК России по Санкт-Петербургу возбуждено уголовное по факту взрыва в одном из кафе города [The Main Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia for St. Petersburg initiated a criminal case on the fact of an explosion in one of the cafes in the city]. spb.sledcom.ru. Archived from the original on 2 April 2023. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  41. ^ "SK perekvalifitsiroval ugolovnoye delo o vzryve v Sankt-Peterburge na terroristicheskiy akt" СК переквалифицировал уголовное дело о взрыве в Санкт-Петербурге на террористический акт [The Investigative Committee reclassified the criminal case on the explosion in St. Petersburg as a terrorist act]. TACC. Archived from the original on 3 April 2023. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  42. ^ "Suspect charged with terrorism offenses over killing of Russian military blogger Vladlen Tatarsky". CNN. 4 April 2023. Archived from the original on 5 April 2023. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  43. ^ "УК РФ Статья 205. Террористический акт \ КонсультантПлюс" [Criminal Code of the Russian Federation Article 205. Terrorist act \ ConsultantPlus]. www.consultant.ru. Archived from the original on 12 April 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  44. ^ "К какому максимальному сроку заключения могут приговорить женщину в России" [What is the maximum prison term a woman can be sentenced to in Russia]. Русская семерка (in Russian). 7 April 2019. Archived from the original on 12 April 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  45. ^ ПИРОГОВ, Елизар (3 April 2023). "Что грозит Дарье Треповой за убийство Владлена Татарского и теракт в кафе в Санкт-Петербурге" [What hangs over Daria Trepova for the murder of Vladlen Tatarsky and the terrorist attack in a cafe in St. Petersburg]. spb.kp.ru (in Russian). Archived from the original on 12 April 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  46. ^ "Арестована Дарья Трепова, обвиняемая по делу о "теракте" в Петербурге" [Arrested Daria Trepova, accused in the case of the "terrorist attack" in St. Petersburg]. Meduza. 4 April 2023. Archived from the original on 5 April 2023. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  47. ^ "Moscow Court Extends Pretrial Detention Of Suspect From Cafe Bombing That Killed War Blogger". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. 1 June 2023. Archived from the original on 9 February 2024. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  48. ^ "Suspect in Pro-War Blogger's Killing Admits Partial Guilt". The Moscow Times. 15 November 2023. Archived from the original on 31 January 2024. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  49. ^ "Woman goes on trial over bombing that killed Russian blogger". euronews. 15 November 2023. Archived from the original on 24 December 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  50. ^ "Russian woman jailed for 27 years for handing bomb to war blogger". Reuters. 25 January 2024. Archived from the original on 27 January 2024. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  51. ^ Sauer, Pjotr (25 January 2024). "Russia jails ultra-nationalist Putin critic and woman convicted of bomb attack". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 18 May 2024. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  52. ^ "Putin nagradil Vladlena Tatarskogo ordenom Muzhestva posmertno" Путин наградил Владлена Татарского орденом Мужества посмертно [Putin awarded Vladlen Tatarsky the Order of Courage posthumously]. TACC. Archived from the original on 3 April 2023. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  53. ^ "Putin awards Vladlen Tatarsky Order of Gallantry posthumously". Meduza. Archived from the original on 3 April 2023. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Assassination_of_Vladlen_Tatarsky&oldid=1248171865"