A Russian female anti-war activist has been apprehended for allegedly orchestrating the assassination of pro-Putin blogger Maxim Fomin, who went by the pseudonym Vladlen Tatarsky. Daria Trepova, 26, reportedly presented Fomin with an explosive-laden sculpture at a crowded St. Petersburg café, resulting in a powerful blast that killed Fomin and injured over 30 people, eight critically.
The Russian Ministry of the Interior confirmed Trepova's arrest, while the Kremlin has declared the assassination a "terrorist act" perpetrated by Ukraine in collaboration with a group connected to imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Surveillance footage captured Trepova, donning a long dark coat, entering the café with a large cardboard box believed to contain the explosive figurine. Tatarsky then received the bust from Trepova and was recorded saying, "Oh, what a handsome guy! Is that me?"
Trepova, identifying herself as "Nastya," declined Tatarsky's invitation to sit with him, claiming shyness. Shortly after, the bomb detonated as Trepova fled the scene in a white Volkswagen Polo. The explosion shattered the café's windows, with the aftermath revealing injured victims and a lifeless body among bloodied debris.
Tatarsky, a native of Ukraine's Donetsk region, joined pro-Russian separatists and fought for Moscow after serving prison time for armed robbery. He amassed a 500,000-strong following on Telegram, advocating for Putin's forces in Ukraine and criticizing Russia's military for not escalating the conflict further. Tatarsky had ties to Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of the Wagner mercenary group and a close ally of Putin, who also previously owned the St. Petersburg café.
Trepova, a Russian citizen, has a history of protesting against the war and was previously detained for participating in an unauthorized anti-war demonstration on February 24, 2022, the day Russia invaded Ukraine. She was arrested in a St. Petersburg apartment, where she had been hiding and allegedly planned to escape to Uzbekistan.
In a released videotaped interrogation, Trepova admitted to bringing the deadly gift to Tatarsky but appeared hesitant to reveal who gave her the explosive statuette. She also claimed to have been set up, stating, "They just used me!" Her husband, Dmitry Rylov, who is believed to be abroad, expressed his conviction that she could not have acted alone, and would not have knowingly participated in the assassination.
The Kremlin asserts that Tatarsky's murder was a "terrorist act," suggesting that Ukraine was involved. However, Ukraine has not claimed responsibility, and a Ukrainian presidential aide, Mykhailo Podolyak, insinuated that the incident was the result of Russia's internal turmoil, describing it as "domestic terrorism."
Yevgeny Prigozhin, surprisingly, agreed with Podolyak, doubting the involvement of Ukraine's government in the attack. He stated, "I think there is a group of radicals operating, which unlikely has something to do with the government."
This assassination comes eight months after the murder of Darya Dugina, daughter of far-right political philosopher Alexander Dugin, who was killed in a car bombing outside Moscow in August. Ukraine was accused of involvement in Dugina's death but has consistently denied any connection to the incident.
The assassination of Tatarsky took place during an event organized by the pro-war group "Cyber Z Front," where Tatarsky was addressing an audience of approximately 100 like-minded individuals. The attack highlights the growing tensions and divisions within Russia as the conflict in Ukraine continues to escalate.
With the Russian government and hawkish politicians quick to blame Ukraine's intelligence services for Tatarsky's murder, Moscow-installed leader of the annexed Donetsk province, Denis Pushilin, stated, "The Kyiv regime is a terrorist regime. It needs to be destroyed, there's no other way to stop it."
The ongoing investigation into the assassination is spearheaded by Russia's Anti-Terrorism Committee, which alleges, without providing proof, that Ukraine received assistance from members of the Anti-Corruption Fund, an organization founded by Navalny. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov urged patience, saying, "Let's be patient and wait for the next announcements from our special services, which are working on this."
As the investigation continues, the shocking assassination of the pro-Putin blogger in St. Petersburg raises questions about the potential involvement of internal forces within Russia and underscores the rising tensions amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
