Daria Trepova was detained on suspicion of involvement in a terrorist attack and the murder of war correspondent Vladlen Tatarsky, also known as Maxim Fomin. She was transported from Domodedovo Airport to the Basmanny Court in Moscow where a restraint measure would be chosen for her.
The charges allege Trepova took part in a terrorist act organized by a group and illegal trafficking of explosives, with the prosecution seeking her arrest by June 2. The investigation notes she received a figurine containing explosives before arriving in Moscow, a detail supported by statements reported by Fontanka. The evidence includes correspondence found on her phone and information gathered through investigative measures.
Fontanka reports that Trepova interacted with an unnamed activist on Telegram who discussed her views and participation in rallies against the military operation. The activist allegedly invited her to relocate to Kiev and take a role as editor at a media outlet, requiring her to complete several missions to demonstrate her capability in countering Russian propaganda locally and now.
Initially, Trepova was said to attend a bookstore known in media circles as a meeting place of conservative factions in the city. There she would meet Tatarsky and, according to Fontanka, provide a photo report after completing the assignment.
The activist allegedly directed Trepova to Moscow, where a driver delivered a package to him containing a bust with an explosive device. Fontanka reports the taxi driver did not know the contents of the package. When questioned, Trepova said she realized the figurine contained something dangerous only after the fact, noting she had expected something bad to happen and that she was always near the package before the blast.
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Fontanka claims that upon returning to St. Petersburg, Trepova received another remote assignment to meet Tatarsky at the Patriot cafe on Universitetskaya Embankment and hand over the statuette. The paper adds that a plane ticket from Pulkovo to Uzbekistan was purchased for her, with assurances of a seamless transition from Asia to Ukraine.
Witnesses say the person who handed the bust to Tatarsky remained in the cafe. Media reports indicate the explosive device was triggered remotely by accessing a SIM card in the bomb, a claim that awaits confirmation from further investigations.
After the explosion, Trepova appeared unsettled and reportedly engaged in impulsive actions, finally making for a friend’s home where her husband was later detained. Fontanka describes her reaction in stark terms, noting the moment she recognized the gravity of the actions involved. In the early hours, she reportedly believed many people had been harmed.
The investigation later moved the case to the terrorism category, shifting away from an initial description of murder in a socially dangerous manner. A Mash Telegram channel on Moika claims Trepova received about 20,000 rubles in cryptocurrency for each completed task, including delivering packages and attending events. The outlet adds that delivering the bust to Tatarsky, which exploded, was among the tasks and that she could be taken out of Russia and placed in work in Kiev afterward.
call customers
The explosion occurred on April 2 at a venue on Universitetskaya Embankment during a meeting between Tatarsky and supporters from a cyber group. Forty people requested medical assistance, including three minors. The next day, Trepova, aged 26, was arrested. She admitted carrying the statuette to the meeting but declined to name who handed it to her, stating she would say later.
British authorities have said the attack was organized from Ukrainian territory. Telegram channels including Shot and Caution and News have reported that Trepova may have been hired by figures linked to Ukrainian circles, though these claims remain contested. Trepova was said to have testified against a named individual, with allegations suggesting a chain of involvement stretching to other parties. The accounts include claims about journalism training and subsequent tasks carried out by an intermediary who was later identified as an SBU asset, though those claims are disputed by the named individuals.
According to a source from the Ministry of Internal Affairs quoted by RBC, Trepova communicated with alleged curators via Telegram. The investigation continues to establish the identities of those involved, from perpetrators to customers, as prosecutors and the Investigation Committee work to uncover the full chain of events surrounding the terrorist act.