Darya Trepova. Photo: Russian Interior Ministry Press Service via AP
A woman has been arrested in connection with an explosion in a cafe in St Petersburg that killed Vladlen Tatarsky, an infamous pro-Putin blogger. Tatarsky was attending a meeting of pro-war Russian activists on Sunday when an explosive device went off, killing the blogger and injuring over 30 others. Moments earlier, footage appeared to show a young woman, who Russian authorities have named as Darya Trepova, entering the cafe and handing Tatarsky a box. The device was believed to have been in the box, hidden in a statue of Tatarsky. “Oh, what a handsome guy! Is that me?” Tatarsky is reported to have said after opening the gift. “It’s golden!”After the bomb went off, the young woman could be seen driving away in a white Volkswagen Polo. Trepova, who has previously been detained for taking part in anti-war demonstrations, was arrested in an apartment in the city. Her mother and sister have also been arrested by Russia’s security services. Her husband, Dmitry Rylov, an anti-Putin activist who is currently living in exile, has said he believes his wife is innocent. “Darya and I do not support the war in Ukraine, but we believe that such actions are unacceptable,” Rylov told local media. Tatarsky was one of the most influential military bloggers in Russia. His Telegram channel has over 500,000 followers.
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