A well-known Russian military blogger, a strong supporter of the military offensive in Ukraine, was killed on Sunday and 25 others injured by “an explosive device” at a cafe in St. Petersburg, northwestern Russia, according to reports. authorities.
“A device of unknown nature exploded in a cafe in the center of Saint Petersburg”, reported “Sunday April 2 the Russian Investigation Committee, in charge of the main investigations in the country. According to the investigators, who opened “an investigation penal” for “murder using a dangerous means”, the victim is “the military blogger known under the pseudonym of Vladlen Tatarsky”. The explosion took place in a cafe, along the Neva, near center city history.
ud83cuddf7ud83cuddfaud83dudea8| A café in Saint Petersburg was blown up by an explosion a few moments ago.
Local reports indicate that military blogger Vladlen Tatarsky was killed. pic.twitter.com/UDwFxIyDiq
— Casus Belli (@casusbellii) April 2, 2023
“One person died and 25 were injured, 19 of whom are hospitalized,” St. Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov said on Telegram. “A criminal investigation” for “murder using a dangerous means” has been opened and “all necessary measures are being taken to identify those involved”, confirmed the Russian Investigation Committee.
The place reserved for a Cyber Front Z party
The local prosecutor’s office explained that the explosion took place in the cafe “Street Food Bar No. 1”. A privatized room for an evening of Cyber Front Z, a group that describes itself as “information soldiers of Russia” on social networks. “There was a terrorist attack. We took some security measures, but unfortunately they weren’t enough,” the group said on Telegram. According to Fontanka, fewer than 100 people attended.
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The victim, a famous military blogger in Russia
Vladlen Tatarsky, whose real name is Maxim Fomin, was a well-known figure in the military blogosphere in Russia. The 40-year-old had obtained more than half a million subscribers on Telegram by posting videos analyzing the situation on the ground in Ukraine and advice for the mobilized, according to Tass.
He said he supported Russia’s intervention in its Ukrainian neighbor. In 2014, he had fought for several months in pro-Russian separatist militias in eastern Ukraine, according to local news outlet Fontanka.
ud83cuddf7ud83cuddfaud83dudea8| The main suspect, according to Russian authorities, is Daria Trepova, a woman who took part in anti-war rallies in February 2022.
She has just been added to the wanted list. pic.twitter.com/93f4xSnOPt
— Casus Belli (@casusbellii) April 3, 2023
A woman is already suspected
“A girl” “presumably” brought the explosive device, according to a source quoted by the Ria Novosti news agency. “There was a figurine in the box: a gift intended for Mr. Tatarsky”, added this source. “She gave it to him”, then later, “all of a sudden, there was an explosion”, told AFP Alissa Smotrova, a woman present. “There was blood, bits of glass…” Another source, also quoted by Ria Novosti, specified that the person in question was “known” to the blogger and that they had met “during events”, without giving further details.
